The Most Succulent Shrimp Cocktail
1
- Prep Time25 min
- Total Time55 min
- 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.
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