Seafood Cocktail Recipe

Make sauce

In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and 1 teaspoon hot sauce. Whisk until smooth.

Stir in 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust horseradish, lemon or hot sauce to preference.

If using, fold in 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives. Cover and chill in refrigerator while you prepare the seafood (at least 15 minutes, sauce develops flavor after 30 minutes).

Prepare poaching liquid

In a large sauté pan or shallow pot, combine 1 cup white wine, 2 cups water, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, the sliced lemon, 1 bay leaf and 8 whole black peppercorns. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Poach scallops and shrimp

Once the liquid is simmering (not rolling), add the 8 oz bay scallops and cook for 1 to 1.5 minutes until just opaque. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Next, add the 1 lb shrimp in a single layer and poach 2 to 3 minutes (depending on size) until they turn pink and are opaque. Immediately transfer shrimp to the ice bath. This gentle poaching yields tender seafood.

Cool and drain

Let the seafood chill in the ice bath for 5 minutes. Drain thoroughly in a colander and pat dry with paper towels. Trim any long tails if desired and cut larger shrimp into bite-sized pieces. If using imitation or lump crab, lightly shred into bite-sized pieces and keep chilled.

Discard the bay leaf and lemon slices and reserve 1 to 2 tablespoons of the poaching liquid to loosen the cocktail sauce later if desired (optional).

Chill servingware

If time allows, chill glasses or bowls in the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes and prepare 4 cups of ice in a large serving bowl or tray to keep seafood cold while assembling.

Portion seafood

Divide the chilled seafood among 4 serving glasses or small bowls: about 4 oz shrimp and 2 oz scallops plus roughly 1.5 oz crab per serving (adjust to portions above). If using lettuce lining, place a small nest of greens in each glass first.

Add sauce

Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the chilled cocktail sauce over each portion, or serve the sauce on the side for dipping. If the sauce seems thick, whisk in 1 to 2 teaspoons of the reserved poaching liquid or cold water to reach desired consistency.

Garnish and serve

Garnish each cocktail with a lemon wedge and a sprig of dill or parsley. Place a cocktail fork alongside. Serve immediately over ice or on a bed of ice to keep cold.

Leftovers: store seafood and sauce separately in airtight containers in refrigerator and consume within 24–36 hours for best quality.