A great episode, "Crustacean Nation" airs Thursday, February 19 at 8 p,m, (EST). This a super episode because Alton showed me how to make a tasty cocktail sauce. Not only that, but his method for oven roasting shrimp is outstanding.I keep frozen uncooked shrimp on hand so this can be whipped up at a moment's notice. Usually the shrimp get the brine as they are thawing. Then into the oven for a few minutes. I love it for a quick meal after work.
The best thing from the episode, as I said earlier, is the cocktail sauce. I have to agree with AB's statement that bottled cocktail sauce is retched. Not one bottled sauce I've had was worth eating. But Alton's recipe changed my opinion. This is the best cocktail sauce ever.
The cocktail sauce is awesome because it can be customized. Add more chili sauce and less horseradish. Or lots of horseradish and lots chili sauce. Whatever you like. I've made so much now that I don't even measure it.
AB's shrimp cocktail recipe
10 comments:
I can't say ICK but I've never had shrimp. Well, just one time, then the trip to the ER put a stop to eating them.
You reply with ICK one my time and I'm banning you!!
:-P
LOL
Alton's painstakingly persnickety recipes are almost always worth the time/mess, but 1:1 Horseradish:Ketchup cocktail sauce is freaking great on it's own.
Have you made the Peaburgers yet? That's my next venture. I saw "Give Peas a Chance" for the first time the other night and almost passed out when I realized Alton was actually making a main course that was vegetarian.
I'd love to make the peaburger. :) But I need to figure out something to replace the mushrooms with, because I'm allergic to those darn things.
Beautiful image of the shrimps "en masse" in the oven...
I love AB's recipes, but love to use them more as a "jumping-off" place to see what I can come up with on my own.
After much experimentation, have come up with a shrimp cocktail sauce recipe that is aslo quite tasty.
The reason that I use vodka in this recipe is that the tomato has alcohol dissolvable flavors that we would miss without that ingredient.
Water cannot dissolve organic molecules, which is why oil and water do not mix.
Alcohol is a flavor carrier. Along with oil and fat, alcohol is an organic molecule, and can mix with other organic molecules. That is why you will see many pasta sauce recipes calling for an addition of wine to enhance the flavor of the tomato.
My Bloody-Pirate Cocktail Sauce
Once again, lovely post as usual, Lisa...
...and I called ALTON persnickety!
If Alton needs some fresh "just caught" shrimp for his next shrimp cocktail, he can come to my house and we'll net some of the tasty little critters at the end of my dock. And, while we're at it, catch some fresh blue crab too.
I'll have to try AB's cocktail sauce, but cut way back on the horseradish. Those 4 heaping tablespoonfuls were way too much for me!
No such thing as too much horseradish. It saves money on nose-hair trimmers.
Pluff,
When AB comes to your house for the fresh shrimp, you're inviting me too... right?
:-P
You're the first one on the guest list Lisa! :)
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