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Butterflied Shrimp Cocktail with Shrimp Cocktail Sauce Recipe
There are so many shrimp cocktail recipes, or prawn cocktail recipes, to choose from. This is one of the simplest though, since it is made with three components. First, you have Romaine hearts. You need a firm leaf lettuce for this recipe, so it stands up in the serving glasses.
Next, you have the succulent shrimp and finally there is a mouthwatering dressing. You do not have to add whisky to the dressing if you do not want to but it is an ingredient in traditional shrimp cocktail recipes.
Butterflying shrimp is easy and this just means cutting into the back to remove the dark vein and to open them out. You can also butterfly chicken breasts, which means cutting into them to make a hinge so you can open them out flat, like a book. Butterflied shrimp look better in this recipe and since you remove all the shell except the tail, people can just eat them as they are without having to remove the shell themselves or fiddle about with the dark veined bit.
How to Make the Best Shrimp Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients -
24 large uncooked shrimp
2 tablespoons chili sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon steak sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon whisky (optional)
8 servings Romaine hearts
Preparation:
Combine the chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, mayonnaise, steak sauce, ketchup, and whisky to make the dressing and chill it until you are ready to serve the dish. Clean and de-vein the shrimp, using a sharp knife to butterfly them. Cook them in boiling water until they go pink. Do not overcook them, else they will go tough. You can add a couple of thick slices of ginger to the water if you do not want the shrimps to smell too fish when they are cooked. Put the cooked shrimps in an ice water bath as soon as they are pink, so they stop cooking. Peel the shell off, leaving the tails on and let them cool down. Divide the Romaine leaves between 8 serving dishes or glasses and spoon the sauce on top. Arrange the shrimp so they hang over the outside of the glass. Serve immediately.
(Serves 8)
Wine Suggestion:
What Wine Goes with Shrimp Cocktail with Shrimp Cocktail Sauce Recipe
When pairing wine to food, bear in mind that the wine should taste sweeter than the food (this is why it can be hard pairing wine with chocolate!) Choose a full bodied Sauvignon Blank or Riesling for this shrimp cocktail recipe. A fruity Pinot Gris, which is also known as Pinot Grigio, would be another tasty option.
Photo Description:
This is a very elegant recipe, as you can tell by looking at the photo. The shrimp are butterflied and served with Romaine hearts and some dressing. This is a really basic recipe but if you want to serve light appetizers in small portions why not make this wonderful dish? You can make it in advance if you like, which is another bonus. Shrimp taste incredible and if you pair this shrimp cocktail recipe with the right type of wine, you can present a lavish and gourmet style appetizer, which is sure to thrill your dinner guests.
Exciting Ways to Liven Up Shrimp Cocktail Recipes
Shrimp cocktail, or prawn cocktail, is a famous appetizer recipe. Not only was it the number one appetizer throughout Great Britain in the 1970s but it is a wonderful dish to make because there are so many versions. Whether you want to stick with the tried and tested classic shrimp cocktail in its delightful pink sauce or make a new take on this old classic, you can make easy shrimp cocktail recipes in very little time.
The classic dish is a combination of lettuce, shrimps and marie rose sauce and a shrimp cocktail recipe might also contain tomato, cucumber, a wedge of lemon, salt, pepper, parsley or even a little Tabasco sauce or chili sauce. Shrimp cocktail is usually served in a glass so you can see the different layers. A dessert glass is fine or you could use a martini glass or something similar for a modern look. Shrimp cocktail is usually served as an appetizer so you do not need huge bowls or glasses for it.
Modern Shrimp Cocktail Recipes
Why not add some lobster or crab to your shrimp cocktail, if you are looking for a sophisticated appetizer? You do not have to use a lot. Just make sure it is visible in the finished dish. You can spice up the dressing with chili sauce if you like or even add a few drops of whisky to a tomato ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and mayonnaise mixture. Taste as you go, in order to get the right result.
What about using jumbo prawns and butterflying them? A shrimp cocktail recipe with butterflied prawns makes a stunning appetizer and peeling and butterflying the shrimp means your guests do not have to peel them. The shrimp cocktail sauce recipe is up to you but you can swap the traditional marie rose sauce for a spicy salsa, a garlic mayonnaise, or anything else you fancy. There are hundreds of different recipes for shrimp cocktail, most of which are excellent, so just pick the one that appeals to you the most and your guests will certainly be in heaven when they taste it.
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