Shrimp cocktail: the recipe for the classic 80s appetizer

He gamberi cocktails (o shrimp cocktail) is a great classic of Italian cuisine, theseafood appetizer par excellence: widespread from 80 yearsis still today particularly appreciated and reproduced at home and in the restoration.

It is a very simple and quick preparation, characterized by a really delicious taste. Indeed, to prepare it, a few steps and only 20 minutes are necessary: ​​the prawns, cleaned and boiled, are immersed in a delicious pink sauce and served in mugs or shot glasses accompanied by a leaf of fresh lettuce.

The secret to obtaining a perfect shrimp cocktail lies above all in the quality of the raw materials: in fact, all the ingredients must be very fresh. However, if you have frozen prawns or prawns on hand, don’t worry: the result will still be excellent.

It is generally served as an appetizer of cold fish, on the occasion of a party buffet or how hall of the Christmas Eve dinner. If you want, you can also make it an 80s-themed dinner, to be served before a plate of vodka pensanother great classic of this period.

Discover all the steps and tips for making it at home or in a restaurant.

How to make shrimp cocktail

The prawn cocktail can be prepared in 20 minutes maximum: we first clean and cook the prawns, then we prepare the cocktail sauce. Let’s see the recipe to make it step by step.

To make the shrimp cocktail, start by prawn cleaning: remove the shell and the internal black filament (the intestine), then rinse them quickly under running water. Boil them in boiling water for 5 minutes, adapting the cooking, more or less prolonged, to the size of the shellfish: as soon as they have taken on a slightly pink color and a melting consistency 1drain them and keep them aside.

For the cocktail sauce, on the other hand, put the mayohe ketchup and mustard in a small bowl, then mix. Also pour in the Worcestershire sauce and cognac and stir them into the sauce mixture 2.

Choose the smallest and most intact lettuce leaves, rinse them, dry them and place them in 4 single-serving glasses 3.

Season the seared prawns with the sauce and divide them into the shot glasses 4.

Complete with a grind of pink pepper. The shrimp cocktail is ready to enjoy: serve it immediately or keep it in the fridge for half an hour before serving 5.

Tip: how to boil frozen shrimp?

If you want to use frozen prawns or prawns, simply boil the shellfish in boiling water for a few minutes (3-5 minutes, depending on size), dropping them directly into the frozen pot. Be careful not to overcook them to prevent them from hardening and drain them when they are tender. Finally, you can proceed as indicated in the recipe.

Variants

In case there are children at the table and you want to make one more delicate cocktail sauce and suit them, you can omit liquor and Worcestershire sauce, replacing with a little soy sauce.

If you want to add a spicy note to the sauce, you can also add a pinch of Tabasco, or replace it with chopped chilli or hot paprika. Instead of cognac, however, you can use brandy, depending on your taste.

If you are short of time, you can buy the mayo ready, while if you want to make a lighter variant at home you can try our recipe mayonnaise without egg.

You can decorate the shrimp cocktail with slices of mango or avocado, finely cut and skewered on the edge of the glass. Finally, if you have vegetarian guests, use the cocktail sauce to accompany some raw vegetables.

storage

He gamberi cocktails it can be stored in the refrigerator, covered on the surface with a sheet of transparent film, to One day at most.