Bloody Mary Shrimp cocktail
All the bold flavor of a classic Bloody Mary in a chilled shrimp appetizer. Plump shrimp are coated in a rich tomato mixture with the spicy kick of horseradish, the savory depth of Worcestershire, bright lemon, and tangy dill pickle juice. Crisp celery and red onion bring crunch to every bite. Perfect for brunch, holiday gatherings, or a seafood platter.
Ingredients
Shrimp and Poaching Liquid
- 2 pounds large shell-on shrimp
- 4 cups water or enough to submerge the shrimp in the poaching basket
- Reserved shrimp shells
- celery stalk roughly chopped, plus celery leaves and trimmings
- ½ small onion roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves smashed
- 1 lemon halved
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns lightly cracked
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Bloody Mary Mixture
- 1 28-ounce can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes packed in tomato purée, or 28 ounces passata
- ¼ cup dill pickle juice
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- ½-1 teaspoon hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 2 celery stalks thinly sliced
- ½ small red onion thinly sliced
Instructions
- Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving the shells. Refrigerate the shrimp while preparing the poaching liquid.Place the shells, water, chopped celery, onion, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns, kosher salt, celery salt, and Worcestershire sauce in a pot. Squeeze in the lemon juice and add the lemon halves. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes.If using a fine mesh poaching basket, leave the shells and aromatics in the pot. If you do not have a basket, strain the poaching liquid into a bowl, discard the shells and vegetables, and return the liquid to the pot.Keep the liquid at a bare simmer. Place a batch of shrimp loosely in the basket and lower it into the liquid, keeping the shells and aromatics outside the basket. Alternatively, add the shrimp directly to the strained liquid. Keep the shrimp submerged with enough room for the liquid to circulate. Poach just until pearly and opaque throughout, about 2–3 minutes depending on size.Lift the basket or remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and drain well. Spread them in a single layer on a shallow tray, leaving space for the remaining batches. Place the tray promptly in the refrigerator.Repeat with the remaining shrimp, allowing the poaching liquid to return to a bare simmer between batches. After draining each batch, briefly remove the tray from the refrigerator and spread the newly cooked shrimp in an empty section. Keep the batches separate without stacking shrimp or placing warm shrimp over those already cooling. Return the tray promptly to the refrigerator. Use a second tray if needed.Empty the entire can of tomatoes, including the purée, into a blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, use an immersion blender in a deep container. If using tomatoes packed in juice or a thin liquid, drain that liquid off before blending the tomatoes. Passata needs no blending.Pour the blended tomatoes or passata into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the pickle juice, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, celery salt, hot sauce, and cracked black pepper. Taste and add more horseradish if you prefer a stronger kick.Once all the shrimp are thoroughly chilled, drain away any liquid collected on the tray. Fold the shrimp, sliced celery, and red onion into the Bloody Mary mixture.Transfer to a covered, nonreactive container and refrigerate for 8–24 hours, stirring once or twice to redistribute the mixture.Toss gently before serving chilled.
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