SHRIMP COCKTAIL
Have you ever had something that you wanted to eat leisurely while say.. laying on the couch ? This was me recently when I was laying around the house one day in sweatpants wishing I had some shrimp cocktail. Why I was thinking about shrimp cocktail I don’t know, but eating fabulously is a lifestyle ok!
Shrimp cocktail is an OG classic that goes in and out with the times but it’s one of those things that’s never going anywhere for long. Whether you order it at a restaurant, pick up a platter from Costco for a gathering or just use the jarred stuff, it never steers you in the wrong direction.
When I was coming up with this recipe, I picked a few of my Chef friends brains on how they make their own cocktail sauce and then I also looked at a few jars of cocktail sauce in the grocery store for any similarities. I was on the right path ingredient wise but of course, I knew I needed to make the sauce fabulous. The fabulousness in fact came from the tamari in this recipe.
Tamari is a Japanese soy sauce made with twice the amount of soybeans and no added wheat. It’s richer and deeper in flavor and color than traditional soy sauce.
I decided to use tamari because I wanted a richer umami like flavor on your tongue than the sweeter jarred cocktail sauces that we are incredibly accustomed to. Grab some tamari HERE
I opted for crushed tomatoes because I wanted the cocktail sauce to have some substance. I wanted you to be able to see and feel the sauce along with the shrimp in one bite when you are enjoying this leisurely on the couch or with friends and family.
** Note, this is an adjust as you go recipe with your desired amounts of horseradish, tamari, sugar, salt and lemon juice so be sure to add as much or as little as you wish to get the desired cocktail sauce flavor your seeking. There is no right or wrong !**
Shrimp Cocktail
Raw shrimp, your desired quantity and size, shelled & deveined
1 can of crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. tomato paste
Tamari, to taste
1 lemon, cut in half + lemon juice, to taste
1-2 bay leaves
Horseradish, to taste
Sugar, to taste
Salt
Black Pepper
Quick Poached Shrimp: Add cut lemon, bay leaves and some black pepper in a medium sized pot and fill the pot with water up to the half way mark. Place over a medium flame and bring water to an even simmer but not boiling. Once your water is at a simmer, add in raw deveined shrimp, stir and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. After the 5 minute mark, cover the pot with a lid, turn off the flame and allow shrimp to sit covered for 4 minutes.
After the 4 minute mark, remove cooked shrimp from liquid and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Once shrimp are cooled, place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Cocktail Sauce: Add can of crushed tomatoes to a shallow skillet over a medium flame. Once tomatoes begin to simmer add in tomato paste and sugar to taste. When tomato paste has melted down, remove from heat and transfer crushed tomatoes into a large bowl. Next mix in desired amounts of horseradish, tamari, lemon juice, salt, more sugar if needed and pepper. You are looking for a taste in the cocktail sauce that fits your palate. Once you reach that desired cocktail sauce taste, place cocktail sauce in the refrigerator to chill.
When ready to serve, place chilled poached shrimp on a plate or serving platter along with chilled cocktail sauce and eat fabulously.
*cocktail sauce will last about a week in the fridge, stored in an air tight container*