Tender chilled shrimp are paired with a smoky twist on classic cocktail sauce. Serve them together as a shrimp cocktail or as part of a seafood tower.
Shrimp
2 cups water
1 cup (8 ounces) dry white wine
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
4 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
2 dried bay leaves
1 lemon, halved
1 pound unpeeled raw jumbo shrimp, deveined with shells left on
Sauce
1/2 cup bottled barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
2 to 4 drops hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
Kosher salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Stir together 2 cups water, wine, salt, peppercorns, garlic, and bay leaves in a medium saucepan. Squeeze lemon halves over mixture; add lemon halves to saucepan. Bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Fill a large bowl with ice and water; set aside. Add shrimp to saucepan, and bring mixture to a boil over high. Cover pan; remove from heat, and poach until shrimp are just firm, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer shrimp to ice bath using a slotted spoon; let cool 2 minutes. Drain well.
Whisk together barbecue sauce, horseradish, lemon juice, and hot sauce in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with shrimp.
