Shrimp Cocktail – Cocktail di Gamberi

Without a doubt this is one of the easiest antipasti to prepare yet, it has an air of exclusive aristocracy. My kids love it. They would have made entire lunches consisting only of this savory and fresh antipasto. It is also one of my secret culinary weapons when visiting friends and you want to prepare something fresh to go with a nice Vernaccia, Verdicchio or Vermentino. I have also found that most people have frozen shrimp in the freezer making this dish a perfect solution. There are numerous versions that range from gelatins to mousse. I learned this one from a good friend in Bergamo.

Ingredients:

5 medium shrimp per person
½ Romaine heart per person

Dressing for 4 people:

1 cup Mayonnaise
1 tbsp. Ketchup (I use tomato paste with salt, pepper and vinegar)
½ tsp. Tabasco
Salt and Pepper

Preparation:

Mix the ingredients for the sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.

Break the Romaine into bite size chunks and set aside.

In a medium size pot bring abundant salted water to a boil. Boil the shrimp, with the shells on, for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp.

Drain and remove the heads and the shell around the tails, leaving the last tailfins on.

Presentation:

Use parfait glasses. Place a dollop of sauce in the bottom of the glass. Fill to ¾ full with the Romaine lettuce. Place another dollop of sauce on the lettuce. Finally hang the shrimp around the rim of the parfait glass. Refrigerate for at least ½ hour before serving. If you want to make this early in the morning, keep the ingredients in the refrigerator and assemble at the last minute. Some people like to sprinkle crushed pepperoncino (dried chili peppers) on the top.

Tags: Italian Recipes Antipasti Shrimp Salad Gourmet Foods Travel Italy