Shrimp and cocktail sauce is an easy and delicious appetizer. It’s served at countless parties and many restaurants across the country. One of the reasons this appetizer is so popular at home celebrations is that precooked shrimp can be used, and the sauce can be as simple as combining ketchup and horseradish.
While a classic cocktail sauce is made from ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, lemon juice and Tabasco sauce, there are many variations on the traditional recipe.
Here’s one from Florida, courtesy of Linda Gassenheimer of the Miami Herald. Again, ketchup is the mainstay of the sauce, but the “key” ingredient is Key lime juice.
Key West Shrimp
¾ pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon Key lime juice
Fill a medium saucepan three-quarters full with water. Add the shrimp and Key lime juice. Make sure the water covers the shrimp. Add more if needed. Bring the water to a simmer with the bubbles just starting around the edge of the pot; the water will start to turn white. Take off the heat immediately and let sit 1 minute. Drain the shrimp and plunge into cold water if serving cold or serve immediately if serving hot. Serve with Key Lime Cocktail Sauce (recipe follows).
Key Lime Cocktail Sauce
6 tablespoons ketchup
Several drops hot pepper sauce
2 teaspoons Key lime juice (see note)
Mix all ingredients together and taste. Add seasoning if needed. Serve with Key West Shrimp.
Note: Lemon or lime juice can be used instead of bottled key lime juice.
Yield: Serves 2.
Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 170 calories, 1.5 grams fa (less than 1 gram saturated), 240 milligrams cholesterol, 27 grams protein, 13 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram dietary fiber, 5 grams sugars, 815 milligrams sodium.