Shrimp Boil
- 3 quarts water
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 medium celery stalk, coarsely chopped
- 1 lemon, half cut into wedges for serving, the other half juiced (reserve squeezed half)
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- Coarse salt
- 1 pound large (16 to 20 count) shrimp
- COMBINE THE WATER with carrot, celery, lemon juice and reserved lemon half, thyme, peppercorns, and a generous amount of salt, in a large (5-quart) stockpot.
- Bring to a rolling boil, then add shrimp.
- When the water is almost at a boil again, which should take about 1 1/2 minutes, the shrimp should be bright pink and curled; immediately remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon, and serve.
- If you plan on serving the shrimp cold, in shrimp cocktail or salad, immediately shock them in an ice-water bath to stop the cooking.
- Peel and devein, if desired (page 122).
- Chill in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to serve, up to 1 day.
- Using the side of a chefs knife, mash 1 small garlic clove with 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt to form a paste.
- Pulse 2 coarsely chopped medium tomatoes (1 3/4 cups) in a food processor until coarsely pureed.
- Transfer to a fine mesh sieve and let drain for 10 minutes, reserving liquid.
- Return tomatoes to food processor.
- Add 4 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated horseradish (or to taste), 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, 1 1/4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (or to taste), 1 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce (or to taste), and the garlic paste.
- Pulse to combine.
- Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and process until combined.
- Add up to 1/4 cup reserved liquid to mixture to adjust to desired consistency.
- Chill until ready to serve.
- (Makes about 3/4 cup)
- Cooking the shrimp in their shells will increase the flavorand is necessary for peel-and-eat servings.
- But when used in salads or shrimp cocktail, the shrimp will have a neater appearance if peeled and deveined before cooking (the shells slip off easier when raw).
water, carrots, celery stalk, lemon, thyme, whole black peppercorns, salt, shrimp
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/shrimp-boil-393878 (may not work)