Perfect Shrimp Cocktail
By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Perfect Shrimp Cocktail
By Tested and perfected in the Sur la Table kitchen
Yield/Serves:
Makes 1½ cups
- Court Bouillon:
- 10 cups cold water
- 2 medium carrots, quartered
- 2 stalks celery, quartered
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 1 head garlic, halved
- 1 lemon, halved
- ½ bunch parsley
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- Shrimp:
- 1 pound medium or large shrimp, in the shell, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- Cocktail sauce, recipe follows
- Lemon wedges
- Cocktail Sauce:
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 lemon, zest finely grated and juiced
- 4 teaspoons prepared horseradish, or to taste, drained
- ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Hot sauce, to taste
Perfectly plump and chilled shrimp paired with spicy, vibrant cocktail sauce? Perfectly delicious!
Put the water, carrot, celery, onion, garlic, lemon, parsley, thyme, and bay leaves in a pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer, set a cover on top slightly ajar, and cook for 20 minutes.
Drop the shrimp into the liquid and turn off the heat. Cook the shrimp, stirring occasionally, until they curl and turn pink, about 2 to 2 ½ minutes for medium shrimp, 3 minutes for large. Drain and cool to room temperature. Peel the shrimp and remove the vein along the curve of the shrimp. Refrigerate if not serving right away. If refrigerated, bring the shrimp to room temperature 20 minutes before serving.
To serve: put the cocktail sauce in a medium bowl and surround with the shrimp, or loop the shrimp over the edge of an individual cocktail glass and top with the sauce. Garnish with the lemon and serve.
Optional Tip: To de-vein the shrimp before cooking, hold a shrimp between the thumb and forefinger with the rounded side of the shrimp upward. Place the pointed end of a wooden skewer at the junction of the second and third segments of the shrimp shell, about 1/8-inch down from the top. Gently push the skewer through the shell and then lift up to remove the vein.
Cocktail sauce: Combine the ketchup, lemon zest and juice, horseradish, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Add hot sauce, if desired. Mix well, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
Put the water, carrot, celery, onion, garlic, lemon, parsley, thyme, and bay leaves in a pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer, set a cover on top slightly ajar, and cook for 20 minutes.
Drop the shrimp into the liquid and turn off the heat. Cook the shrimp, stirring occasionally, until they curl and turn pink, about 2 to 2 ½ minutes for medium shrimp, 3 minutes for large. Drain and cool to room temperature. Peel the shrimp and remove the vein along the curve of the shrimp. Refrigerate if not serving right away. If refrigerated, bring the shrimp to room temperature 20 minutes before serving.
To serve: put the cocktail sauce in a medium bowl and surround with the shrimp, or loop the shrimp over the edge of an individual cocktail glass and top with the sauce. Garnish with the lemon and serve.
Optional Tip: To de-vein the shrimp before cooking, hold a shrimp between the thumb and forefinger with the rounded side of the shrimp upward. Place the pointed end of a wooden skewer at the junction of the second and third segments of the shrimp shell, about 1/8-inch down from the top. Gently push the skewer through the shell and then lift up to remove the vein.
Cocktail sauce: Combine the ketchup, lemon zest and juice, horseradish, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Add hot sauce, if desired. Mix well, then refrigerate until ready to serve.