The Most Succulent Shrimp Cocktail
1
- Prep Time25 mins
- Total Time55 mins
- Makes4 to 6 servings
Produced by Aimee Nishitoba; Photography by Carmen Cheung; Food Styling by Matthew Kimura; Prop Styling by Madeleine Johari; Illustrations by Emily Chu.
Court bouillon—an aromatic broth made from white wine, lemon juice and shrimp shells—is key to this recipe’s flavourful and tender shrimp.—Soo Kim
Ingredients
2 lb frozen shell-on jumbo shrimp, (21 to 25/lb), defrosted
5 tsp kosher salt, divided
2 L cold water
2 cups dry white wine
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 lemon, halved
6 sprigs of parsley
1 tsp whole peppercorns, optional
crushed ice
lemon wedges
Instructions
Peel off shells from shrimp and transfer shells to a large pot with any juice. Pat shrimp dry with a paper or kitchen towel, then toss with 1 tsp salt. Refrigerate for 30 min.
Meanwhile, to pot with reserved shells, add water, wine, celery, onion, lemon halves, parsley, peppercorns and 4 tsp salt. Simmer over medium for 30 min.
Strain, then return poaching liquid to the pot. Set over medium-high.
Fill a large bowl with ice and enough water to fill halfway; set aside.
Add brined shrimp to broth and cook, stirring, until just cooked through and bright pink, 3 min. Using a slotted spoon, remove to a plate.
Transfer shrimp into 3 resealable bags; remove as much air as possible and seal bags. Submerge shrimp in ice bath, using a bowl or plate to keep submerged. Refrigerate until chilled, 30 to 45 min.
To serve, place cocktail sauce in a bowl in the centre of a platter. Arrange crushed ice around platter and place chilled shrimp overtop with lemon wedges.
Kitchen tip
If you’re short on time, skip the bag-chilling step and immerse cooked shrimp in ice bath just long enough to chill. Remove and pat dry with a paper towel.
Caesar-Style Cocktail Sauce recipe
For a little extra flavour, serve your shrimp cocktail with our Caesar-style cocktail sauce recipe
Get more recipe to send the New Year off in style with our guide to building an epic seafood tower.
Chatelaine celebrates, inspires, informs and empowers. We know that Canadian women contain multitudes, and we cover all of the issues—big and small—that matter to them, from climate change to caregiving, Canadian fashion and what to cook now.