Meyer Lemon shrimp cocktail

Shrimp cocktail usually falls into one of 2 categories: bland and meh at best or out of this world delicious. I'm happy to report that this shrimp cocktail falls into the latter category. If you like your shrimp plump, perfectly cooked & delicately seasoned and your cocktail sauce hot, spicy and sinus clearing, then this is the shrimp cocktail for you.

Speaking of cocktail sauce, according to this Witch, it had better be spicy. Clear your sinuses spicy! If you don't like your cocktail sauce as hot as the Witch does, feel free to back off on the horseradish. However the beauty of horseradish is that its a quick burn, up front in your palette and sinuses, and it doesn't linger. One big burn then its gone, leaving you with a serious need to double dip your shrimp to get more of that spicy goodness back into your mouth. A touch of the Meyer lemon and Worcestershire sauce add just enough acid to make your taste buds stand up and pay attention.

The shrimp are baked in a very hot oven, which concentrates their flavors unlike steamed or boiled shrimp, which tend to be rubbery and flavorless. The Witch likes to use shell on shrimp and roast them in their shells, again adding to the flavor component, and helps keep them from drying out while in the hot box. Meyer lemon is a sweet lemon, not as intensely tart and the perfect citrus for shrimp. The tart lemon compliments the briny flavor of shrimp yet isn't heavy or over powered. Please remember to peel your shrimp before dipping into your cocktail sauce.

Meyer lemon shrimp cocktail
makes 2 large servings
1 lb shrimp, shell on & deveined, thawed
juice of 1 Meyer lemon
2 T olive oil
3/4 t kosher salt
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed but left whole

Cocktail sauce
1 very heaping teaspoon of extra hot horseradish (prepared)
1/2 c ketchup
1 T lemon juice
pinch salt
2 t Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 450F.
While oven heats dry thawed shrimp with paper towels or give them a run in your salad spinner. Once shrimp are dried add the lemon juice, oil, garlic and salt. Toss to coat. Allow to marinate for 15 minutes.

Pour marinated shrimp onto a sheet pan in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and curl and are just cooked through. Remove from sheet tray immediately, discard garlic and peel shrimp, enjoy with cocktail sauce.

Cocktail sauce:
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Taste for season, add a bit more salt or horseradish depending on taste.



Nutrition Facts provided by SparkPeople recipe calculator
Meyer Lemon Shrimp
Amount Per Serving
Calories 182.7
Total Fat 8.7 g
Saturated Fat 1.3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.3 g
Monounsaturated Fat 5.3 g
Cholesterol 172.3 mg
Sodium 407.9 mg
Potassium 224.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 2.0 g
Dietary Fiber 0.0 g
Sugars 0.3 g
Protein 23.1 g

Nutrition Facts provided by SparkPeople recipe calculator
Spicy cocktail sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 41.0
Total Fat 0.0 g
Saturated Fat 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 445.0 mg
Potassium 1.8 mg
Total Carbohydrate 10.3 g
Dietary Fiber 0.0 g
Sugars 8.0 g
Protein 0.0 g