Shrimp Cocktail

This is Alton Brown's recipe for shrimp cocktail...it tastes better than in a restaurant. It's a snap to make, and I get raves every time! Brining them and then broiling them with the shell on makes them flavorful, tender, and avoids burning.

I use IQF (individually quick-frozen) shrimp in a bag rather than the "fresh" stuff from the seafood counter. Plus, it's already been de-veined (step 1). That is a task I gladly leave to someone else, although I've kept AB's directions for it here.

Time

• 1 hour to overnight to thaw
• 25 minutes to brine
• 3 minutes to broil
  

Ingredients

• 32 shell-on (21 to 25 count) tiger shrimp

For the brine:

• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups ice

For the cocktail sauce:

• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 cup prepared chili sauce
• 4 tablespoons prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Few grinds fresh black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Sprinkle Old Bay seasoning

Directions

1. Using a pair of scissors or a serrated knife, make an incision down the backside of the shrimp, following the intestinal track. Eviscerate shrimp and rinse under cool water leaving shells intact.
   
2. Place cleaned shrimp into a bowl with brine and refrigerate mixture for 20 to 25 minutes.
   
3. While shrimp are brining, place tomatoes, chili sauce, horseradish, sugar, pepper, and salt in food processor and blend until smooth. Refrigerate cocktail sauce until ready to serve.
4. Place a baking sheet or broiler pan under oven broiler and preheat for 5 minutes. Remove shrimp from brine and drain thoroughly. Rinse the shrimp under cold water and dry on paper towels. In a large bowl, toss shrimp with olive oil and sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning, if desired.
5. Place shrimp onto a sizzling sheet pan and return to broiler immediately. After 2 minutes, turn the shrimp with a pair of tongs. Return the shrimp to broiler for 1 minute. Transfer to a cold cookie sheet. Refrigerate immediately.
6. Once shrimp have chilled, arrange with cocktail sauce in a martini glass or as desired.

Caramelized Onion and Gorgonzola Tart

These make fantastic appetizers, and they are very easy to make. I've trotted these out at numerous events and have yet to have leftovers. I adapted the recipe from this one from Pepperidge Farm, which, not coincidentally, makes puff pastry. I've yet to try making puff pastry from scratch--it doesn't seem worth the headache, somehow. If you've tried it and have some advice for me, I'm very willing to hear it!

EDIT: I recently tried this recipe with shredded Gruyère in place of the Gorgonzola. I highly recommend it--the Gruyère melts really well, and its nuttiness sets off the sweetness of the caramelized onions. The Gorgonzola cheese is also good, just spicier...but, packaged puff pastry comes in packs of two sheets, so why not try both?

Thawing time: 40 minutes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 20 minutes
Cooling time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
1 sheet of store-bought puff pastry
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1-2 sweet onions, thinly sliced into half moons (total 2 cups uncooked)
1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (pre-crumbled saves time, but the pre-crumbled chunks can be too small and are usually a little drier than cheese you crumble yourself)
flour (for rolling out pastry)

Optional ingredients:
Chives, parsley, basil, or other herbs
salt and pepper (to taste)
1½ teaspoons brown sugar


Hardware
skillet
wooden spoon
baking sheet
rolling pin
grater (if using Gruyère)
fork
wire rack

Directions
1. Thaw the pastry sheet at room temperature for 40 minutes or until it's easy to handle. Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with vegetable cooking spray.

2. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 15 minutes or until dark golden brown, stirring often. Season to taste (brown sugar and/or salt) and let cool.

3. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 12-inch square. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the edges of the square with water. Fold over the edges ½ inch on all sides, pressing firmly with a fork to form a rim. Prick the pastry thoroughly with a fork.

4. Spread the onion mixture as evenly as possible over the pastry crust. Top with the Gorgonzola cheese. (You can add herbage on top here if you choose--chives, parsley, or even basil will work.)

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack. Cut into approximately 3 x 2-inch rectangles. Serve warm.