Name: Grilled Shrimp Cocktail with Fresh Tomato Cocktail Sauce
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1.5 pounds large peeled, deveined raw shrimp, tail-on; 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper; 1.5 tablespoons grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh juice (from 2 lemons), divided; 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for bread slices and drizzling; 2 tablespoons grated garlic (from 8 large garlic cloves), divided; 2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste; 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided; 0.33 cup julienne-cut smoked sun-dried tomatoes (from 1 [3-ounce] package), chopped (about 1/3 cup); 3 tablespoons mild or spicy harissa paste (from 1 [10-ounce] jar) (such as Mina); 1.5 tablespoons sherry vinegar; 2 cups chopped red tomato (from 1 large [12-ounce] tomato); 2 teaspoons hot sauce; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided; Cooking spray; 12 (1/4-inch-thick) baguette slices (3 ounces total)

Grilled Shrimp Cocktail with Fresh Tomato Cocktail Sauce

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Give shrimp cocktail a seasonal, smoky upgrade with this recipe, an ideal appetizer for summer dinner parties and cookouts. The shrimp are marinated in a bright, lemon-garlic mixture that gets a kick from crushed red pepper. Make sure to pat them dry after peeling and deveining them, so they don't water down the marinade; this also helps them achieve a nice char when they're grilled. The cocktail sauce echoes the lemony notes from the shrimp, and features a combination of fresh tomato and smoked sun-dried tomatoes (feel free to swap in regular sun-dried tomatoes if needed). A mix of harissa, sherry vinegar, and hot sauce gives the slightly chunky sauce a nice acidic balance, too. Any leftover shrimp work nicely in a green salad, tossed with cooked orzo, or in a sandwich.

Karen Rankin

Updated on August 2, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds large peeled, deveined raw shrimp, tail-on
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 ½ tablespoons grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh juice (from 2 lemons), divided
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for bread slices and drizzling
2 tablespoons grated garlic (from 8 large garlic cloves), divided
2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
⅓ cup julienne-cut smoked sun-dried tomatoes (from 1 [3-ounce] package), chopped (about 1/3 cup)
3 tablespoons mild or spicy harissa paste (from 1 [10-ounce] jar) (such as Mina)
1 ½ tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 cups chopped red tomato (from 1 large [12-ounce] tomato)
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
Cooking spray
12 (1/4-inch-thick) baguette slices (3 ounces total)

Directions

Pat shrimp dry using paper towels; place shrimp in a large bowl. Add crushed red pepper, lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of the oil, 1 tablespoon of the lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of the garlic, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper; toss to coat shrimp evenly. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.
While shrimp marinates, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium. Add sun-dried tomatoes, harissa paste, and remaining 1 tablespoon garlic. Cook, stirring often, until tomatoes are tender and garlic is soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in sherry vinegar. Transfer sun-dried tomato mixture and chopped tomato to food processor bowl. Pulse until mixture is coarsely chopped and uniformly blended but not smooth, 10 to 12 pulses, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Stir in hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon of the chopped parsley, and remaining 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest. Season with additional salt to taste; set cocktail sauce aside.
Heat a grill pan over high. Lightly coat grill pan with cooking spray. Brush both sides of sliced bread with additional oil. Grill until toasted and lightly charred on edges, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter.
Sprinkle marinated shrimp evenly with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Add shrimp to grill pan; grill until opaque and lightly charred, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to platter with bread. Spoon cocktail sauce into a bowl, and place alongside shrimp and bread on platter. Sprinkle shrimp, bread, and cocktail sauce evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley; drizzle with additional oil. Serve.