Shrimp Cocktail in Martini Glass with Truffle Aioli and a Mini Caprese Skewer

Sometimes food that is displayed beautifully looks more appealing actually seems to taste better. Displaying your shrimp in a martini glass not only makes for a elegant appetizer, it also makes your shrimp go further.

Shrimp is usually sold by the number per pound. For this recipe I used a bag of frozen shrimp that were labeled 16 shrimp per pound. You can use larger, but try to stay with 16-20 per pound as a minimum. The smaller shrimp do not really hold onto the martini glass rim as well.

Do not buy pre-cooked shrimp. Shrimp take on average 2-3 minutes to cook and the difference in taste and texture is drastic. There are many types of shrimp to choose from. My favorites are the Gulf pink shrimp. That includes Key West Pinks, Florida and Texas Shrimp. The shape is not always as good as some of the imported shrimp, but the firm texture and sweet flavor is superb. Argentine Red Shrimp have recently become popular. They have a more reddish color when cooked, but have a texture that is less firm. I prefer them in cooked dishes rather than a shrimp cocktail for that reason. Costco also has very good shrimp. Many are imported, but a much higher quality than usually available at your local grocery store and I load up on bags when I go to Costco to always have on hand for last minute entertaining. If you cook your shrimp in the shell, then it does impart a little better flavor. Peel them by first removing the legs and then lift the shell up for the bottom with your fingers in a swift movement from the underside. The shrimp can be made the day before and I actually think the flavor is even better the next day. You can use a crab boil like Zatairans or Old Bay Seasoning, but I love to make my own which I have shared here. Make sure to boil the spices for about 10-15 minutes in your water first, so that the water and flavor impart a better essence to the shrimp in the brief 2-3 minutes that they cook.

Prep Time: 15-25 minutes depending on if you are using peeled shrimp or not

Cooking Time: 2-3 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 2 lb bag of shrimp, 16 to the pound

1 Tbs whole Allspice berries

1 Tbs whole Peppercorns

5 Bay leaves

2 whole Star Anise

3 whole sticks of Cinnamon

6 Tbs mayonnaise

1 ½ Tbs ketchup

2 Tbs Truffle oil

½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

4 decorative skewers

4 small cherry sized fresh mozzarella balls

8 small cherry tomatoes

Fresh Basil leaves

4 large Martini Glasses

Directions:

Fill a large stockpot with water ¾ full. Add the allspice, peppercorns, salt, bay leaves, star anise and cinnamon. Bring to a full rolling boil. Boil for 15 minutes covered. Uncover.

Prepare the truffle mayonnaise. Combine the mayonnaise with the ketchup, truffle oil and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Skewer a cherry tomato, then a basil leaf, fold the leaf into a neat square as you skewer it. Then a ball of mozzarella, then another basil square, and finally a cherry tomato. Refrigerate until ready to use.

When the water has come to a boil. Add the shrimp. Boil 2-2 ½ minutes depending on the size of shrimp. Peel the shrimp, leaving the tail intact, refrigerate until ready to use. This can all be done a day in advance and the shrimp actually are better the next day.

When ready to serve, add a dollop of truffle mayonnaise to the bottom of your martini glass. Arrange 5-6 shrimp around the rim of each glass. Add the skewer in the middle. Serve.