Shrimp cocktail
Shrimp cocktail is one of my favorite dishes. For many years, I ordered this often and made as many recipes as I could because I was looking for the perfect sauce - spicy, but not too sweet, and a sauce that would enhance instead of overpower the shrimp. On April 6, 2008 I finally found the perfect sauce in Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything cookbook. I changed it ever so slightly although I cook my shrimp in a completely different way.
| Recipe serves | Active time | Total time |
|---|---|---|
| Special equipment needed |
|---|
| Large pot with a lid |
| Ingredients |
|---|
| 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined |
| 1 tablespoon table salt |
| 1/2 cup ketchup |
| 3 tablespoons lemon juice |
| 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce |
| 5 drops of Tabasco sauce |
| 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish sauce |
| 1 tablespoon finely minced onion |
| 1 teaspoon chili powder |
| 1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder |
| salt, pepper |
| Instructions |
|---|
| • Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. The pot should be large enough to accommodate the shrimp without crowding. You want the shrimp to boil freely in the pot. |
| • Once the water is boiling, add 1 tablespoon of salt. Immediately add the shrimp and cover the pot. Leave the temperature on high. As soon as the water boils again, drain the shrimp and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour. |
| • To make the sauce, combine the remaining ingredients and refrigerate until cold. |
| Variations |
|---|
| • For a less spicy sauce, leave out the chipotle and Tabasco sauce. |
| • Experiment with other hot sauces like Crystal or Frank’s RedHot. |
| • You can use bottled cocktail sauce and “fix” it by adding your own touch - horseradish, hot pepper sauce, parsley, etc. |
| Storage |
|---|
| • The shrimp can be refrigerated for 3 days in a sealed container or resealable plastic bag. |
| • The sauce can also be covered and refrigerated for 3 days. |
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