Salsa Verde Shrimp Cocktail Recipe • 5★ • 1 hr 10 min
For the Sauce
- 1 pound tomatillos, husks removed
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), more to taste
- 2 cups cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 2 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste with a little salt
- 1 small jalapeño, thickly sliced crosswise
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Pinch of ground cayenne
- ½ cup finely diced red onion
- 2 pounds wild shell-on large shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), fresh or frozen and thawed
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large bay leaves
- ½ lemon, sliced
- Prepare sauce: Heat the broiler. Put tomatillos on a rimmed tray on the top rack of the oven. Broil until well charred and somewhat softened, about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.
- Pulse tomatillos in a food processor until blended. Add salt, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, red pepper and cayenne. Blend once more, until you have a bright green, thickish sauce. Stir in the diced onion by hand. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate. (Sauce may be prepared 24 hours in advance.)
- Prepare the shrimp: Peel, leaving tails on or off, and de-vein the shrimp, and place in a large bowl. Toss with salt and baking soda. Let sit for 20 minutes, then rinse with cold water and drain.
- To a deep, wide saucepan or skillet, add shrimp, bay leaves and lemon slices. Cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a brisk simmer. Cook until the shrimp have firmed up and turned pink, 2 minutes. Remove shrimp to a baking sheet and spread out to cool. Transfer to a serving platter or two, and chill. Serve with green sauce.
- 1 pound tomatillos, husks removed - ½ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), more to taste
- 2 cups cilantro leaves and tender stems - 2 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste with a little salt
- 1 small jalapeño, thickly sliced crosswise - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Pinch of ground cayenne - ½ cup finely diced red onion
For the Shrimp
- 2 pounds wild shell-on large shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), fresh or frozen and thawed - 2 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- Step 1Prepare sauce: Heat the broiler. Put tomatillos on a rimmed tray on the top rack of the oven.
Broil until well charred and somewhat softened, about 10 minutes. - Step 2Pulse tomatillos in a food processor until blended. Add salt, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, red pepper and cayenne.
Blend once more, until you have a bright green, thickish sauce. Stir in the diced onion by hand.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate. (Sauce may be prepared 24 hours in advance.)
- Step 3Prepare the shrimp: Peel, leaving tails on or off, and de-vein the shrimp, and place in a large bowl. Toss with salt and baking soda.
Let sit for 20 minutes, then rinse with cold water and drain. - Step 4To a deep, wide saucepan or skillet, add shrimp, bay leaves and lemon slices.
Cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a brisk simmer.
Cook until the shrimp have firmed up and turned pink, 2 minutes. Remove shrimp to a baking sheet and spread out to cool.
Transfer to a serving platter or two, and chill.
Private Notes
In my area, frozen cooked shrimp and frozen raw shrimp cost the same thing. I don’t buy “fresh” shrimp because everyone knows it has been frozen and thawed.
Another thing—if I don’t want to make my own salsa verde, any thoughts on how to doctor up the pretty good stuff I can get in a jar? Store-bought cooked shrimp is an abomination.
It's also a great way to sell water for the price of shrimp (just like the "water added" pork products that Hormel is known for). The shrimp typically have added polyphosphate and bisulfites to help them bulk up and retain water during precooking, and the second cooking (at home) turns them rubbery.
@Violet37, I would use a combination of mint and parsley, not the same at all as you know ow, but it should be tasty
Add fresh cilantro, lime and jalapeno
I have always put shrimp on top of stove in super hot cast iron w olive oil and garlic…does boiling/simmering in water actually taste better? I wouldn’t change a thing, and tomatillos are plentiful here.