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Everyone should have a shrimp cocktail recipe in their arsenal of go-to recipes. This had to be one of the first things I ever made. It thought it was such an elegant and decadent thing to serve to guests. It still is but I’ve learned so much over the years about how to coax the best flavors from this shellfish.

When I first started making shrimp cocktail, I’d peel them and throw them in boiling water. Talk about bland…but I didn’t know any better. It wasn’t until I watched a chef make them at a restaurant where I worked in Westhampton, that I learned the “tricks” of seasoning the water and keeping those shells on! It’s the little things. His name is Angelo and I don’t know where he is today but he was an amazing chef and taught me a lot without even knowing it. He used what ever herbs and veggies he had on hand. No carrots or celery? Don’t sweat it! Just add what you have. He never measured…oh to be that skilled and confident. But, when flavoring your water in this recipe, precision is not necessary. One last trick he taught me was to never rinse the shrimp to cool them down. He’d put them on a big baking sheet pan and put them in the walk-in fridge to chill. (I’d kill for one of those during the holidays…all that storage space!) They were peeled later…all the flavor still in tact.

You can present the shrimp in many ways. A large bowl of shrimp with the shells still on make a fun, interactive outdoor starter before a BBQ. Let the guests peel their own! Another way to serve a crowd is to serve them on a platter with the sauce on the side. There is nothing better than a shrimp cocktail platter. Your guests can help themselves.

My favorite way of serving shrimp cocktail is still “old school”. 4-5 large shrimp are hung on a pretty cocktail glass (martini glasses and coup glasses work great) and a couple of tablespoons of cocktail sauce and a lemon wedge are served in the glass. Reminds me of eating at great steak houses in NYC.

No matter how you present these, they are good! It is all about that cooking liquid. It just adds so much flavor to the shrimp…something I didn’t learn for years but now share with you.

To start, add 10 cups of cold water to a large stock pot or dutch oven. To the water add a lemon cut in half, fresh thyme, oregano, parsley and/or any fresh herbs you have on hand. Add two celery stalks cut into large pieces, 2 carrots cut into large pieces, an onion cut in half, two tablespoons of black peppercorns and a tablespoon of crab boil mix (I use Zatarains). Bring the pot to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Let those flavors come together for about 20 minutes.

You are now ready to work with the shrimp. I like to de-vein the shrimp before cooking or better yet, buy the shrimp still in their shells but already deveined. This saves a lot of time. I still leave the shell on when cooking since that is where a lot of the flavor comes from. I don’t recommend just boiling the shrimp without the shell on. The shrimp lose their flavor. I also like to buy very large shrimp since the presentation is fabulous but note, any size shrimp work. Just adjust the cooking time according to size.

Add the shrimp to the simmering broth and cook for about 2 1/2 – 3 minutes until they are pink and starting to curl. Don’t over cook or they will be tough.

Drain the liquid, vegetables and shrimp into a colander. Remove the vegetables and discard.

Place the cooked shrimp onto a large platter or baking sheet and put in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to chill.

Remove from the fridge and peel. You are now ready to serve either in a bowl, as a shrimp platter or as an individual shrimp cocktail.

Serve with cocktail sauce and lemon wedges.

Making your own cocktails is so easy. Simple mix ketchup, lemon juice and lemon zest, horseradish sauce and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Mix well. And there you have it. The tastiest shrimp cocktail you’ll ever taste.