My Grandma's White Cocktails Sauce with Jumbo Grilled Shirmp Cocktail

I will never forget my Grandma's Christmas parties, they meant one thing and one thing only- SHRIMP COCKTAIL TIME!!! This was both blessing and a curse. As we (my mom, aunt, grandma and I) gathered around the kitchen table to peel and devein shrimp; lots and lots of shrimp. That part was no fun, but it was all worth it for those wonderful shrimp and Grandma's white cocktail sauce.

Yes I said white cocktail sauce. This recipe had two uses that I can remember, and they were polar opposites. This sauce was used at Passover for Gelfite fish and at the Christmas party for shrimp. Not so Kosher I know, but oh so tasty.

Not sure where the origins of this sauce came from but I love it and relish any excuse to enjoy it. In a recent cooking class I updated the classic shrimp cocktail by grilling them and serving them with classic red and my beloved white cocktail sauce.

 

Grilled Jumbo Shrimp with Red and White Cocktail Sauce

Serves 6 appetizers

1.5 to 2 lb   Jumbo Shrimp (U10), shell on (approximately24 to 30 shrimp )   

1/3 cup       Grape seed oil

½ tsp           Black pepper
1 ½ tsp        Old Bay
3 tbsp          Fresh lemon juice

Cut through shells of shrimp; along middle of back, using kitchen shears or a paring knife. Exposing the vein, devein shrimp, leaving shells and tail in place.

Prepare grill with medium-hot charcoal or gas grill.

In a bowl stir together grape seed oil, pepper, old bay and lemon juice.

Toss shrimp in in oil and spice mixture and marinate for 15 minutes. (no more than  15 minutes or texture of shrimp will change if marinated too long.)

Grill shrimp for about 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until pink and firm.

Remove from grill and serve shrimp hot or refrigerate till cold.

 

Red Cocktail Sauce

1/2 cup                   Ketchup
1 to 1 ½ tbsp      Prepared horseradish
2 dashes              Crystal or a Louisiana style hot sauce
¼ tsp                    Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup                   Lemon juice

Combine all ingredients and chill till ready to serve.

 

 

White Cocktail Sauce

½ cup                   Mayonnaise

½ tsp                    Sugar

1 tsp                    Onion, finely minced

¼ tsp                   Garlic, finely minced

2 tbsp                  Fresh dill chopped

1 ½ tbsp              Parsley, chopped

1 tsp                    Prepared horseradish

2 tbsp to ¼ cup   Lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Stir together all ingredients and add lemon juice to taste; chill till ready to serve.