Sauces for Boiled Shrimp

John's Zesty Red Cocktail Sauce

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Cocktail sauces made with prepared horseradish are delicious accompaniments to shrimp cocktails and other seafood dishes. Sold in jars, look for prepared horseradish in the dairy section of the supermarket.

1/2 cup ketchup

Juice of 1/2 a fresh lemon

Dash or two Worcestershire sauce

Prepared, bottled horseradish to taste

In a small mixing bowl, blend ingredients well. Makes 1/2 cup sauce.

Shrimp Cocktail Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon grated fresh onion

1 tablespoon finely minced capers

Dash Worcestershire sauce

Prepared horseradish, to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

In a small mixing bowl, blend mayonnaise with ketchup, onion, capers and Worcestershire sauce. Add horseradish, salt and pepper, to taste. Chill for at least one hour before using to blend flavors. Makes about 1-1/2 cups sauce.

How to Boil Shrimp for Shrimp Cocktail

2 bay leaves

1 fresh lemon cut in half

Salt

2 pounds large unshelled raw shrimp (2 pounds of unshelled raw shrimp, will yield about 1 pound of cooked, peeled shrimp)

Peel and devein shrimp; set aside.* Fill a large mixing bowl with water and ice, adding the lemon halves and bay leaves. Bring 4 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil. Drop shrimp into boiling water and allow water to come to a second boil. Cook shrimp just until the shrimp turn pink, about 3 minutes; do not overcook. (To check if shrimp are done, slice through a shrimp at the thickest part. It should be opaque.) Drain shrimp, then immediately immerse into the iced water.

Refrigerate until shrimp are well chilled. Just before serving, drain shrimp and serve in lettuce-lined individual serving dishes with cocktail sauce and fresh lemon wedges.

Serves 4, depending on appetites.

Kitchen Ade Note: For extra flavor, add some of the shrimp shells to the cooking liquid.