Shrimp cocktail is fantastic party fare. It is simple, figure friendly, and can be noshed easily while holding a cocktail. It is an appetizer that will never go out of style. However, even a dish as easy as this can suffer if the ingredients are not fresh. Shrimp can be rubbery if they are pre-cooked and thawed, making them almost inedible. Your best bet is to start with raw shrimp, even if they were frozen. If you are looking for a subtle twist on the traditional shrimp cocktail, try this recipe from Ina Garten's new book, Back to Basics. She manages to jazz up the shrimp flavor ever so slightly by roasting them first. My Mom and I tried this out over the holidays and we couldn't get over how such a slight change really took this typically average app to a new level. Try it at your next party or get together.
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Roasted Shrimp Cocktail For the shrimp: 2 pounds (12 to 15-count) shrimp (I buy them peeled and deveined if possible) 1 tablespoon good olive oil 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce: 1/2 cup chili sauce (recommended: Heinz) 1/2 cup ketchup 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
Instructions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Peel and devein the shrimp if necessary, leaving the tails on. Place them on a sheet pan with the olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread them in 1 layer. Roast for 8 to10 minutes, just until pink and firm and cooked through. Set aside to cool. For the sauce, combine the chili sauce, ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Serve as a dip with the shrimp. Serves 6-8 |
Recipe courtesy of Back to Basics by Ina Garten, 2008
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