Shrimp Cocktail

Fill a large stockpot with 4 quarts of water.

Add 1 halved onion, 2 stalks of washed celery, fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves, and 12 to 15 smashed garlic cloves to the pot.

Cut 1 lemon in half, squeeze the juice into the pot, and add the squeezed lemon half.

Add 2 tablespoons of salt to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine ketchup and 1/4 cup of prepared horseradish to make cocktail sauce.

Zest the lemon before cutting it in half, then add the zest to the cocktail sauce.

Juice the lemon half and add the juice to the cocktail sauce, stirring to combine.

Add a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce to the cocktail sauce, adjusting to taste.

Remove the celery, onion, and lemon halves from the broth after 20 minutes of simmering.

Add the peeled and deveined black tiger shrimp to the boiling broth in a basket for even cooking.

Cook the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes until they turn bright pink, being careful not to overcook them.

Prepare an ice bath with cold water and ice cubes in a large bowl.

Remove the shrimp from the broth and immediately transfer them to the ice bath to stop the cooking process for at least 3 minutes.

After cooling, take the shrimp out of the ice bath and place them on a clean kitchen towel to dry.

Arrange the shrimp on a platter with tails facing the same direction for presentation.

Add a few lemon wedges to the platter for serving.

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: