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Chilled poached shrimp with cocktail sauce, lemon wedges and parsley on a white marble platter

Shrimp Cocktail Appetizers: 20-Minute Make-Ahead New Year's Bites

Quick-poached shrimp, a 5-minute ice bath and a punchy homemade sauce make a 20-minute New Year's Eve appetizer you can prep ahead and serve cold.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb large raw shrimp 21-25 count, peeled and deveined, tails on
  • 6 cups water for poaching
  • 2 lemons 1 halved for the pot, 1 cut into wedges for serving (squeeze 1 tbsp juice into the sauce)
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 2 tbsp prepared horseradish
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 tsp hot sauce optional
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 cups ice for the ice bath

Method
 

  1. Fill a large bowl with the ice and cold water; set aside.
  2. Bring the water, halved lemon and bay leaves to a boil in a large pot. Add the shrimp and cook until pink and just opaque, 2 to 3 minutes.
  3. Lift the shrimp into the ice bath with a slotted spoon and chill 5 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and discard the poaching liquid.
  4. Stir together the ketchup, horseradish, 1 tbsp lemon juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce and salt.
  5. Serve the chilled shrimp with the sauce and lemon wedges, or refrigerate both for up to 24 hours.