The Best Way To Serve Shrimp Cocktail

Shrimp cocktail is one of those timeless appetizers. While it dates back to the 1950s (though some people argue it entered the scene in the 1920s) it doesn't scream "retro" so much as classic, like a Caesar salad (another 20^th century invention), cheesy baked potato, or any other appetizer or side you might find at a top-tier steakhouse. Shrimp cocktail also makes for an easy, impressive dish for home entertaining, one that might not be as expensive as you think since shrimp may be one of the more affordable types of shellfish.

If you want to serve your shrimp in the style of a fancy cocktail, you can hang them off the rim of a chilled wine or martini glass garnished with a slice of lemon. You could also have them do double duty as a centerpiece by arranging them in concentric circles on a multi-tiered cake stand. To keep them cold, you might start with a bed of ice, then cover the ice with lettuce leaves — iceberg would be appropriate — and place the shrimp on top. (Be sure to put something absorbent beneath the stand to catch any drips.) An even more impressive vessel would be an ice bowl. This is made by putting a smaller bowl inside a larger one, then filling the latter with water and freezing it. Use some tape across the top to keep the smaller bowl from floating, as well as something to weigh it down, since it needs to stay centered to form the depression that will hold the shrimp.

Besides the crustacean component, the most important part of a shrimp cocktail is the sauce — btw, you're going to want to keep the tails on the shrimp once you peel and de-vein them since this part makes a handy little handle for dipping. A traditional shrimp cocktail sauce is made from ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, hot sauce, and Worcestershire. One popular store-bought cocktail sauce is the sinus-clearing St. Elmo Steak House brand, but you can easily make this condiment yourself by combining all of the aforementioned ingredients to taste.

Another dip that would work well with shrimp is chimichurri. Although this Argentinian condiment may be better known as a steak sauce, its tangy, herby flavor is perfectly suited to seafood, as well. Tartar sauce and Thousand Island dressing also play nicely with shrimp, as does Thai sweet chili sauce or bang bang sauce made by mixing chili sauce with mayonnaise and a squirt of sriracha. For party purposes, it's best to have a variety of cocktail sauces on hand. 

If you'll be using a cake stand to display your shrimp, perhaps you could reserve one tier for sauce bowls. Make it the top tier if the display includes ice, though. This way, the sauces won't be diluted by dripping water as it melts.