Festive Shrimp Cocktail Platter
A vibrant and elegant appetizer featuring succulent shrimp served with a spicy cocktail sauce, perfect for celebrations.
Ingredients
Seafood
- 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined (leave tails on for presentation)
- 1 piece lemon, halved
- 2 cloves garlic cloves
- 1 bay leaf bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- Salt to taste Salt to season the water
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2–3 tablespoons prepared horseradish (adjust based on heat preference)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika or Old Bay seasoning
Garnishes
- to taste Lemon wedges
- to taste Fresh parsley or rosemary sprigs
- optional olives, sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, radishes, or cocktail onions
Instructions
- Bring water to a gentle boil with salt, lemon halves, garlic, bay leaf, and peppercorns.
- Add shrimp and cook for 2–3 minutes until pink and curled. Transfer to ice bath to stop cooking.
- Mix ketchup, horseradish, Worcestershire, lemon juice, hot sauce, and paprika to make cocktail sauce. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Arrange shrimp on a platter around a bowl of sauce. Garnish with lemon wedges and herbs. Add optional vegetables or garnishes as desired.
Notes
For best presentation, leave tails on the shrimp and arrange them in a circle around the sauce.