Food Recipes Appetizers Seafood Appetizers Dirty Martini Shrimp Cocktail 5.0 (2) 2 Reviews Olive-brined shrimp and gin-spiked cocktail sauce are served up straight in this appetizer with a kick. By Renu Dhar Renu Dhar Renu is a personal chef, culinary instructor, and food blogger. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on June 21, 2024 Tested by Julia Levy Tested by Julia Levy Julia Levy is an eater, maker and dabbler in all things food. With nearly a decade of work experience, over 1,000 recipes tested, hundreds of recipes developed and just as many articles published, she has become a veritable resource for all your food questions. Her work has appeared in Cooking Light, MyRecipes, Southern Living, Real Simple, Fine Cooking and other publications and websites. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Renu Dhar / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 40 mins Servings: 4 Big, beautiful shrimp get a double dose of flavor with a quick poach in a lemon and shrimp shell-infused broth, followed by a brine in olive juice. Jarred cocktail sauce is infused with gin and vermouth to serve as a “dirty” dip for the flavorful shrimp. Serve it with more olives on the side for a celebratory appetizer. And for a variation, use vodka instead of gin for a vodka dirty martini. Frequently Asked Questions What size is 13/15 count shrimp? Shrimp is measured by the number of shrimp in one pound. On most bags of shrimp or when buying from your regular fish place, you will find a smaller number followed by a slash and then a larger number. For example, a 16/20 indicates there are 16 to 20 shrimp per pound. What is in cocktail sauce? Jarred cocktail sauce typically contains ketchup, horseradish, and an acidic component such as lemon juice or vinegar. If you’d like to make your own, try this easy recipe for a homemade cocktail sauce. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen While you can buy shrimp that is already peeled and deveined, you get the best flavor in the poaching liquid by using the shrimp shells. If you have time, you can even saute the shrimp shells until bright pink, then add the water. Learn How to Devein Shrimp and Save Yourself a Few Bucks Make ahead Refrigerate poached (but not brined) shrimp for up to two days. Refrigerate cocktail sauce mixed with gin and vermouth for up to two days. Ingredients 1 pound extra-large unpeeled raw shrimp (13/15 count) 4 cups water 3 garlic cloves, smashed 1 tablespoon black peppercorns 1 lemon 1/4 cup manzanilla olives plus 1 1/2 cups brine from jar, divided (from 2 [10-ounce] jars) 1 (8.75-ounce) jar cocktail sauce 2 tablespoons dry gin 2 teaspoons dry vermouth Chopped fresh flat leaf parsley Directions Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails intact. Place shells in a large saucepan; set shrimp aside. Add water, garlic, and peppercorns to the large saucepan with the shells. Zest lemon and set the zest aside. Halve lemon and squeeze juice into the water mixture, then add the lemon halves to the saucepan. Bring to just a boil over high, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, uncovered and undisturbed, to infuse liquid, about 10 minutes. Remove and discard only the shells. Prepare an ice bath and place it next to the stove. Add shrimp to the simmering water and poach on low heat, stirring often, until shrimp are bright pink and just turn opaque, 5 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp from poaching liquid using a slotted spoon; immediately place in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Stir together shrimp and olive brine in a medium bowl. Cover and chill for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, stir together cocktail sauce, gin, and vermouth in a small bowl. Arrange 3 olives on a cocktail skewer. Divide cocktail sauce into 4 martini glasses, hang 3 to 4 shrimp around the edge of a martini glass. Sprinkle with lemon zest and chopped parsley. Serve immediately. Rate It Print