Shrimp cocktail is a fairly simple appetizer with a surprising and exciting flavor profile. Chilled, poached shrimp are served with and dipped into a ketchup-based cocktail sauce which is rich, thick, and sometimes bursting with pungent, sinus-clearing horseradish along with chili sauce, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. It's all at once sweet, tangy, spicy, and savory and you can find it everywhere from the most casual of parties to the swankiest of steak houses.
But if you've ever ordered a Mexican shrimp cocktail, you might have been surprised to see that there were more differences in the dish than similarities to the classic American version. Whereas usually comes on a platter with a dish of cocktail sauce on the side (or in the form of individual goblets), Mexican shrimp cocktail is often presented in a tall cup or a bowl. The shrimp is combined with all of the other ingredients and the contents are eaten together, scooped up with a spoon, some crispy , or tortilla chips.
It's basically a cold soup that could be described as gazpacho-like. The broth is tomato-based, often including ketchup, tomato juice, and lime juice, with plenty of bite-sized chunks of cooked shrimp, cucumber, onion, avocados, and cilantro floating around in it. More of a light meal than an appetizer, Mexican shrimp cocktail can be spiced up with hot sauce or chili peppers or filled with additional veggies like tomato chunks and celery.
It is particularly delicious on warm days because it's serv.
