Chilled Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce (Print version)

Tender chilled shrimp with zesty homemade cocktail sauce. An elegant appetizer ready in 20 minutes, ideal for entertaining or light dining.

# What You'll Need:

→ Shrimp

01 - 1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
02 - 1 lemon, sliced
03 - 1 tsp salt
04 - 1 tsp black peppercorns

→ Cocktail Sauce

05 - ½ cup ketchup
06 - 2 tbsp prepared horseradish
07 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
08 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
09 - ½ tsp hot sauce
10 - Pinch of salt

→ Garnish

11 - Lemon wedges
12 - Fresh parsley

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Fill a large pot with water. Add lemon slices, salt, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat.
02 - Add the shrimp to the boiling water and cook for 2–3 minutes, until pink and just cooked through. Do not overcook.
03 - Immediately transfer shrimp to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Let chill for at least 10 minutes.
04 - In a mixing bowl, combine ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and a pinch of salt. Stir thoroughly and adjust seasoning to taste.
05 - Drain the chilled shrimp and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange on a serving platter over a bed of crushed ice or lettuce leaves.
06 - Serve immediately with cocktail sauce, lemon wedges, and fresh parsley garnish on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in seconds but tastes like you have been guarding a family recipe for generations
  • People will assume you spent way more effort and money than you actually did
02 -
  • The ice bath is not negotiable unless you enjoy tough, overcooked shrimp that disappoint everyone including yourself
  • The sauce needs at least ten minutes in the fridge to let the flavors decide how they feel about each other
03 -
  • Add a splash of white wine or a bay leaf to your poaching water for extra depth that people will notice but not quite be able to identify
  • Buy the best shrimp you can find because this recipe has nowhere to hide with mediocre ingredients
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