Bloody Mary Shrimp
I’m a chef wannabe. It’s not unusual to find me spending an entire wintery Sunday in the kitchen. Puttering in my comfy, chunky Crocs...the ones my husband prays I never wear in public. Tweaking ingredients. Baking bread. Loving life.
But in the summer, spend more than half an hour in the kitchen? Heck no. It’s not so much about the heat, but we’re outdoorsy folk. It’s a big, beautiful world out there and neither of us wants to waste precious time breathing conditioned air. In the waning hours of a typical beach day, one of us is always pleading, “stay just one more hour”? ParkMobile is our enabler. Transaction fees be damned.
So, as much as I love to cook, my time in the kitchen is minimal from June to August. But the problem nowadays is all of us are eating in more. COVID restrictions are lifting, but reservations are scarce. So we take turns cooking with our friends. We cobble together simple meals. Focus more on sustenance than process. Make dishes that turn us around quickly for more fun in the sun.
Let’s pretend you’re going to a barbeque. You’ve offered to bring a covered dish. But you want to maximize your beach time. You also want to end your afternoon hanging at the Purple Parrot, because nothing screams summer like a no-shower-happy-hour. The scent of sunscreen and salt mixes so well with an icy cold beer. You get home, you rush through your sun shower. You need a recipe that practically made itself that morning, ready to grab and go.
Bloody Mary Shrimp is the perfect dish. A fun, refreshing appetizer or brunch nibble that makes an impression with very little effort. And bonus: it contains vodka!
I’ve tweaked this recipe many times over the years. I think I found the original in Bon Appétit. Feel free to change it up to suit your taste. It’s very versatile and forgiving. I like to pile these shrimp on a white platter or in a fun bowl. Then gay it up with fresh herb garnishes and lemon wedges. ▼
Bloody Mary Shrimp
Mix together in a large bowl:
1 cup orange juice
1 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup ketchup or chili sauce
1/3 cup vodka (optional)
1 tsp. celery seed
1/4 to 1 tsp. hot pepper sauce, to taste
1 tsp. horseradish sauce, or to taste
Whisk in:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Add:
2 pounds cooked, peeled (leave tails on)
large shrimp
1 very small red onion cut in small, thin slices
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (substitute parsley if preferred)
Cover and refrigerate 3 to 6 hours. Toss one last time, then drain and serve. Enjoy!