Shrimp Cocktail – The Ultimate Seafood Libation
Fishing & Shellfishing WA Department of Fish & Wildlife, Recreational Shrimp Fishing: Puget Sound Opening, May 14, 2016: PNW Boaters: Happy Spring, Fish Wild, Eat Wild – Try this Salty Dog Recipe: Shrimp Cocktail! With shrimp season opening in May there’s no better time to enjoy fresh shrimp! Go wild and catch your own, or buy from your local waterfront fishermen. Make your own cocktail sauce, you’ll be shocked at how much better it can be than store bought, especially if you like your cocktail poured hard with plenty of hot sauce. This El Nino spring you deserve shrimp cocktail sauce with fresh wild Puget Sound PNW shrimp.
Ingredients – Eat Fresh, Buy Wild, Fish Wild!
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
1/2 bunch parsley
5 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
Shrimp:
1 pound medium or large shrimp, in the shell, rinsed (the fresher, the better!)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Cocktail Sauce
Lemon wedges
Cocktail Sauce:
1 cup ketchup
1 lemon, zest finely grated and juiced
4 teaspoons prepared horseradish, or to taste, drained
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Hot sauce, to taste
Preparing the Shrimp:
- 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 10 to 30 minutes.
Court Bouillon Ready for Shrimp
- 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 1/2 minutes for medium shrimp, 3 minutes for large ones.
- Drain and cool to room temperature. Peel the shrimp and remove the vein along the curve of the shrimp, if desired.
- 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.
Serve on a Plate if no Cocktail Glasses Available
Optional: If you prefer 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.
Preparing the 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.
NW Boaters, Try Our Salty Dog Shrimp Recipe!
