Shrimp Cocktail
I like shrimp cocktail served lightly chilled, but not ice-cold, with a spicy, sharp cocktail sauce. Using cooked shrimp, making a stock with the shells and briefly poaching the shrimp in the stock for a flavorful broth that I can serve alongside the shrimp to guests.
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 8 cooked jumbo shrimp (fewer than 15 per pound), deveined, shell-on, about 8 ounces (see note below)
- ⅛ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon herbes de Provence or Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons chopped onion
- Sprigs of basil or flat-leaf parsley
Cocktail Sauce
- 2 to 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 teaspoon sriracha or other hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
Method
- Carefully remove the shells from the shrimp, keeping the tails intact. Place the shells in a medium saucepan and add the red chili flakes, water, vinegar, herbes de Provence and onion, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
- To make the sauce, in a small bowl combine the ketchup, sriracha, horseradish and rice vinegar.
- Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer and return it to the same saucepan. Add the shrimp and bring to a boil. As soon as it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and set the saucepan to the side to cool to room temperature. Arrange the shrimp in two serving dishes and garnish with a sprig of basil. Pour some of the stock into little cups and spoon the cocktail sauce into separate cups to serve.
If using raw shrimp, poach gently until opaque and just turning pink, about 3 minutes.
