The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (4 page)

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Shrimp cocktail should boast tender, sweet shrimp and a lively, well-seasoned cocktail sauce. To infuse the shrimp with as much flavor as possible, we cooked the shrimp in a stock made from the shells, wine, lemon juice, herbs, and spices. Shrimp cook very quickly, so there’s little time to add flavor to them in the pan, but by bringing the stock to a boil, adding the shrimp, and then taking the pot off the heat, the shrimp could then be left to “steep” for almost 10 minutes. For the sauce, we wanted to keep the identity of the classic but give it a boost. Starting with ketchup that we seasoned ourselves was hands down a better route than beginning with preseasoned, store-bought chili sauce. Including a variety of heat sources gave our cocktail sauce nice complexity and balance.

SERVES 4

When using larger or smaller shrimp, increase or decrease cooking times for shrimp by one to two minutes, respectively.

COCKTAIL SAUCE

1. FOR THE SHRIMP:
Bring reserved shells, 3 cups water, and salt to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until fragrant, about 20 minutes. Strain stock through sieve, pressing on shells to extract all liquid.

2.
Bring stock, wine, parsley, tarragon, lemon juice, coriander seeds, peppercorns, and bay leaf to boil in large saucepan over high heat; boil 2 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in shrimp; cover and let stand until firm and pink, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain shrimp, reserving stock for another use. Plunge shrimp into ice water to stop cooking, then drain again. Transfer to bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

3. FOR THE COCKTAIL SAUCE:
Stir all ingredients together in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with shrimp.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Gambas al ajillo—a Spanish tapa (read: small portion) of little shrimp sizzling in a pool of olive and garlic—is a popular choice to enjoy alongside other tapas offerings when dining out. But scaling up this dish at home to take center stage at cocktail hour results in shrimp drowning in oil and too much garlic. Traditional recipes call for submerging the shrimp in oil, which allows them to heat evenly and gently at a low temperature. But submerging a full pound of shrimp requires 2 cups of oil. We wanted to use a more reasonable ¹⁄
₂
cup. Using a 12-inch skillet ensured the shrimp could fit in a single layer, with oil reaching halfway up the side of each shrimp. After a brief period, we turned the shrimp to cook the other side. But using only a thin layer of oil meant the shrimp couldn’t absorb much garlic flavor. So we added garlic in three ways: we added raw minced garlic to a marinade, we browned smashed cloves in the oil in which the shrimp would be cooked, and we cooked slices of garlic along with the shrimp.

SERVES 6

Serve shrimp with crusty bread for dipping in the richly flavored olive oil. The dish can be served directly from the skillet (make sure to use a trivet) or, for a sizzling effect, transferred to an 8-inch cast-iron skillet that’s been heated for 2 minutes over medium-high heat. We prefer the slightly sweet flavor of dried chiles in this recipe, but ¹⁄
₄
teaspoon sweet paprika can be substituted. If sherry vinegar is unavailable, use 2 teaspoons dry sherry and 1 teaspoon white vinegar.

1.
Mince 2 garlic cloves and toss with shrimp, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and salt in medium bowl. Let shrimp marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2.
Meanwhile, using flat side of chef’s knife, smash 4 garlic cloves. Heat smashed garlic with remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is light golden brown, 4 to 7 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow oil to cool to room temperature. Using slotted spoon, remove smashed garlic from skillet and discard.

3.
Thinly slice remaining 8 garlic cloves. Return skillet to low heat and add sliced garlic, bay leaf, and chile. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is tender but not browned, 4 to 7 minutes. (If garlic has not begun to sizzle after 3 minutes, increase heat to medium-low.) Increase heat to medium-low; add shrimp with marinade to pan in single layer. Cook shrimp, undisturbed, until oil starts to gently bubble, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, flip shrimp and continue to cook until almost cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Increase heat to high and add sherry vinegar and parsley. Cook, stirring constantly, until shrimp are cooked through and oil is bubbling vigorously, 15 to 20 seconds. Serve immediately.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Undermix tempura batter by a hair and it will be too thin and won’t provide enough of a barrier for the shrimp against the hot oil. Overmix and you wind up with a coating so thick it would be more at home on a corn dog. We wanted a foolproof recipe that landed us between the extremes. Using the largest shrimp available helped us avoid overcooking, and keeping the frying oil at 400 degrees helped limit grease absorption. For the batter, we had to slow down gluten development, which occurs when water and flour are combined. First, we replaced a bit of the flour with cornstarch to lighten the structure
and we swapped ice water for seltzer since the acidity in the latter would help delay gluten development (as a bonus, the carbonation helped make the coating airy). But the batter still turned thicker as it sat. While water (the seltzer) contributes to gluten, alcohol does not, so we replaced half the seltzer with vodka. These shrimp emerged from the hot oil light and crisp, batch after batch.

See “STRAIGHTENING OUT SHRIMP” illustration that follows recipe.

SERVES 4

Do not omit the vodka; it is critical for a crisp coating. You will need a Dutch oven with a capacity of at least 7 quarts. Be sure to begin mixing the batter when the oil reaches 385 degrees (the final temperature should be 400 degrees). It is important to maintain a high oil temperature throughout cooking. Jumbo (16 to 20) or extra-large (21 to 25) shrimp may be substituted. Fry smaller shrimp in three batches, reducing the cooking time to 1¹⁄
₂
to 2 minutes per batch. When cooking shrimp for tempura, the underside tends to shrink more than the top, causing the shrimp to curl tightly and the batter to clump. To prevent this, we make two shallow cuts on the shrimp’s underside (see
“STRAIGHTENING OUT SHRIMP”
).

1.
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. In Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-low to 385 degrees, 18 to 22 minutes.

2.
While oil heats, make 2 shallow cuts about ¹⁄
₄
inch deep and 1 inch apart on underside of each shrimp, following illustration. Whisk flour and cornstarch together in large bowl. Whisk vodka and egg together in second large bowl. Whisk seltzer water into egg mixture.

3.
When oil reaches 385 degrees, pour liquid mixture into bowl with flour mixture and whisk gently until just combined (it is OK if small lumps remain). Submerge half of shrimp in batter. Using tongs, remove shrimp from batter 1 at a time, allowing excess batter to drip off, and carefully place in oil (temperature should now be at 400 degrees). Fry, stirring with chopstick or wooden skewer to prevent sticking, until light brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to paper towel–lined plate and sprinkle with salt. Once paper towels absorb excess oil, place shrimp on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and place in oven.

4.
Return oil to 400 degrees, about 4 minutes, and repeat with remaining shrimp. Serve immediately with dipping sauce.