Shrimp cocktail gets a facelift with garlic roasted shrimp and a homemade jalapeno cocktail sauce.
The first memory I have of eating shrimp cocktail was in a restaurant on the Oregon coast. I must have been 5- or 6- years old and my parents and I had driven from Vancouver to enjoy a vacation amidst the crashing waves, barking sea lions, and tufted puffins. As a little girl, the words "shrimp cocktail" inspired great anticipation and excitement. A heaping pile of shrimp, accompanied by a sauce that combined two of my favorite condiments - ketchup and horseradish! To top things off, the waitress at the restaurant took a shine to my 5-year-old self and the stuffed bunny I was clutching on my lap. She became "my favorite waitress in the whole wide world" when she brought a bowl of carrot sticks for my furry friend.
Despite my fondness for this classic seaside dish and, I had never made it at home. If the whether is not warm enough for Grilled Shrimp with a Kick or you don't have time to assemble Shrimp Scallion Dumplings, this is the perfect alternative. This recipe came, unabashedly plagiarized, from Fine Cooking Magazine. When I stuck my pinky into the sauce for a taste, I wondered why I had ever bothered to buy bottled cocktail sauce. Roasting with olive oil and garlic produced shrimp that were flavorful and succulent. My Oregon memories were successfully recreated. Now where is that stuffed bunny?
Please note that the photos do not reflect the amounts given in the recipe because I was making a smaller portion for my family to sample.
The recipe:
The cocktail sauce:
In a medium bowl, combine ½ cup ketchup, ½ cup chili sauce,
2 tablespoons grated red onion (using the large holes of a box grater), ½ teaspoon finely chopped jalapeño pepper, 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, and ⅛ teaspoons kosher salt. Stir well.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
The shrimp:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine 1 ½ pounds jumbo shrimp (peeled and deveined, tails left intact) with 2 finely chopped cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, ½ teaspoons kosher salt, and ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper.
Spread the shrimp, in a single layer, on a large baking sheet.
Roast the shrimp for 3 minutes, turn the shrimp with tongs, and roast for a additional 2-3 minutes, until the shrimp are opaque and just cooked through.Place the shrimp in a dish, partially cover, and chill for about 1 hour. Serve with the cocktail sauce.
Printable Recipe
Garlic Roasted Shrimp with Jalapeño Cocktail Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
The Cocktail Sauce:
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons grated red onion using the large holes of a box grater
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped jalapeño pepper
- 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
The Shrimp:
- 1 ½ pounds jumbo shrimp peeled & deveined, shells left intact
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
The Cocktail Sauce:
- In a medium bowl, combine all of the cocktail sauce ingredients and stir well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
The Shrimp:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine shrimp with garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Spread the shrimp, in a single layer, on a large baking sheet. Roast the shrimp for 3 minutes, turn the shrimp with tongs, and roast for a additional 2-3 minutes, until the shrimp are opaque and just cooked through.
- Place the shrimp in a dish, partially cover, and chill for about 1 hour. Serve with the cocktail sauce.
Lisa P.
Love the presentation! Where did you find such beautiful serving glasses? I love how the pattern makes it looks as though the shrimp are swimming through fields of seagrass on the ocean floor.
nihaty
Many of the necessary vitamins are found in garlic as a natural antibiotic and food should be consumed in more than gives great flavor
ArmadilloPepper
These look incredible. Living in Florida, fresh shrimp is easy to get. Being a pepper head, I will definitely have to try. Thanks.
Patty
Your presentation is out of this world! Wonderful for a cocktail party! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe and presentation idea!
My Little Space
These look simpy delicous and the photos are stunning!
AppleC
The presentation takes all! Super! The recipe looks good as well..always looking for new ideas when it comes to shrimp.
5 Star Foodie
I love your presentation of these shrimp cocktails - so pretty!
wasabi prime
Lovely presentation! They look so fancy and fresh in the photo!
The Chickenless Chick
Beautiful picture. And what a sweet story about the waitress... Bet she'd be tickled pink that you remembered her and those carrot sticks years later!
Janice
mmm shrimp! Great photograph of one of my favourite foods.