Cooking shrimp cocktail is easier than it may seem. Before I knew much about food or dining out, I knew that if they brought shrimp cocktails to the table as an appetizer, we were eating at a "fancy" restaurant. I'm sure I enjoyed the shrimp, but what I really loved was dipping the crackers in the spicy, horseradish-spiked cocktail sauce.
Ingredients
- quarts cold water: 3 piece
- onion: 0.25 piece (sliced)
- lemon: 0.5 piece
- garlic, peeled and bruised: 2 clove
- sprigs fresh tarragon: 2 piece
- seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay®): 1 Tbsp
- whole black peppercorns: 1 tsp
- bay leaf: 1 piece
- ketchup: 0.5 cup
- chili sauce: 0.25 cup
- prepared horseradish: 0.25 cup
- lemon juice: 1 tsp
- Worcestershire sauce: 1 tsp
- drops hot sauce: 3 piece (to taste)
- pinch salt: 1 piece
- shell-on deveined jumbo shrimp: 2 pound
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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For the poaching liquid: Stir water, onion, lemon, garlic, tarragon, seafood seasoning, peppercorns, and bay leaf together in a large pot; bring to a simmer and cook until flavors blend, about 15 minutes.
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For the cocktail sauce: Whisk ketchup, chili sauce, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and salt together in a bowl; refrigerate until chilled, at least 15 minutes.
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For the shrimp: Bring poaching liquid to a rapid boil. Cook shrimp in the boiling liquid until they are bright pink on the outside and the meat is no longer transparent in the center, about 5 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a bowl of ice water and immerse in ice water until cold; drain.
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Arrange cold shrimp on a platter and serve with chilled sauce.
