The Food: Shrimp Cocktail

INGREDIENTS
Fresh Shrimp
Cocktail Sauce
Fresh Lemons

This is a very basic dish which can be served at the Christmas Eve Fish Dinner, or as an appetizer for any meal, especially a light Summer starter.

You simply want to boil the shrimp, I would devein them first, but leave the shells on. Many people will want to take them off before hand, but I find, and it is the opinion of many, that leaving the shells on gives them added flavor.  Once they are done boiling in water for a few minutes (as your seafood merchant, as it is according to the size of each shrimp), put them into a bowl of ice water.  Once they have cooled you can remove the shells if you wish.

I like to set them up in individual martini glasses, especially if its a quiet dinner for two.  This way, you can fill the martini glass with cocktail sauce, and arrange the shrimp around the rim of the glass, separating them with wedges of lemons.  This also works well if you have several people at the dinner table, this way they all get their individual lemons and sauces so their fingers are not dipping and double dipping into the sauce and also the portions are controlled so one person does not get a dozen shrimp and some only get 2 or 3.  Lastly, it makes a much nicer presentation.

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