Nice shrimp cocktail recipes are all in regards to the little issues. Particularly, steering on the correct shrimp for the job, how one can cook dinner them completely, and the way greatest to realize the basic balanced however zingy sauce. This one will get the small print proper. (Catch former BA staffer Molly Baz making shrimp cocktail right here.)
You’re in search of huge, fats, just-cooked shrimp for this basic appetizer, so dimension and precision matter—the dimensions will likely be printed on the bag of frozen shrimp on the grocery retailer, or ask your fishmonger about recent, uncooked shrimp. We predict 16–20 per pound is greatest for this recipe. (In any other case, observe these pointers: For 26–30, poach 1½ minutes; for 21–25, poach 2 minutes; for 13–15, poach 4 minutes; for 8–12, poach 5 minutes; learn extra in our information to cooking shrimp.)
Irrespective of the dimensions, shrimp cook dinner greatest with their shells on. The shells taste the cooking liquid and forestall the seafood from overcooking. As quickly because the shrimp have turned opaque, get them into a chilly water tub, quick; dropping ice into the cooking liquid makes that easy. (In case your pot is simply too small, use a slotted spoon to switch the shrimp to a separate bowl crammed with salted ice water.) Serve the chilled shrimp tail-on, scattered over extra cracked ice, and garnish with lemon wedges alongside a cocktail sauce kissed with tomatoey chili sauce, which provides the dip extra oomph than ketchup ever might.
For a totally totally different really feel, serve the poached shrimp with aioli or guacamole with lime juice, cilantro, and tortilla chips. For extra shrimp-spiration, try this riff on Panamanian ceviche that may be made with frozen, deveined shrimp.
