Recipes from my Mother: Shrimp Cocktail
Every once in awhile, I’ll come across a cookbook called some variation of Recipes from my Mother, and it always makes me giggle. I’m not saying my mother is bad in the kitchen or anything, but here’s a cocktail napkin she handed out at a recent family gathering:
My mother is not bad in the kitchen. In fact, she cleans up as efficiently as anyone I’ve ever seen. But food preparation . . . well, it’s not really her thing. Once she came across a pile of cooking magazines in my house, and she was horrified. “That’s what you read in your free time?” You’d think she’d found a stash of porn.
So it’s kind of surprising — but also kind of not — that my mother has a few really great recipes. She knows how to make them. They are easy. They turn out right every time. People like them. (And if they don’t? She doesn’t want to hear about it.)
I’ve made my mom’s shrimp cocktail recipe a bunch of times, and people are always impressed that I didn’t buy the shrimp pre-cooked. You know how you cook shrimp? You boil it. And then there’s the sauce: four ingredients. And way, way, better than any premade stuff.
MY MOTHER’S SHRIMP COCKTAIL
1 bag medium frozen, peeled and deveined shrimp
Boil water.
Defrost shrimp under running cold water.
Add shrimp to pot.
Watch pot. It will boil. When it does, reduce heat and cook for one minute. Do not boil too long or the shrimp will be rubbery and people will think you bought them pre-cooked.
Strain & cool (tossing with ice cubes works).
MY MOTHER’S COCKTAIL SAUCE
3/4 cup chili sauce (Heinz is best)
2 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 drops Tabasco
Mix together. (You probably figured that out.)
Serve with funny napkins.
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about 8 years ago
I like the napkin, LOL.
about 8 years ago
Carol was gracious enough to share this recipe with me several years ago and it is my “go to” recipe for shrimp cocktail. Simple and pure.
I will start shopping for some funny napkins tomorrow.
about 8 years ago
I can’t decide if I want my daughters to write a post like this when they are adults or not! I am DEFINITELY not someone who enjoys cooking. Baking, quite a different story. Thank goodness for restaurants and a husband that DOES enjoy cooking (and he’s quite good at it!) I think he’ll like your shrimp cocktail recipe. 😀
about 8 years ago
As you know, I hate cooking even more than Mom does! I make this sauce all the time and don’t even bother adding the Tabasco — too much trouble — and it’s still good. Nor do I really measure anything. (P.S. I bought those napkins.)
about 8 years ago
Okay, I enjoy cooking, but I am definitely going to hunt down some of those napkins. I found the designer — it’s Mina Lee Studios — but they only have cards and magnets available online. I may just settle for a magnet — too, too funny!
about 8 years ago
The shrimp cocktail was always delicious, but not nearly as memorable as the spacomole. I dare you to find a recipe. (I also think the cornbread, sausage (and egg?) thing was always really good.
about 8 years ago
I found this on a site called artofhacking. So if my blog disappears forever, it’s your fault.
Spa-camole
2 c Lowfat cottage cheese
1/2 c Fresh parsley leaves
1/2 c Cilantro leaves
1 cn (4-oz) chopped green chilies
1/3 c Chopped seeded tomato
2 tb Chopped green pepper
1 cl Minced garlic
1/2 ts Cumin
Place parsley and cilantro in food processor work bowl; process with
steel blades until chopped. Add cottage cheese; process until smooth.
Add combined remaining ingredients; stir. Serve with pita or flour
tortilla wedges
about 8 years ago
Thanks, I can’t wait to make it- the egg sausage cornbread thing was seriously good. And I still look for seafood salad to compare to the one in Chatham.