Before you call me cheesy, isn’t Valentine’s Day all about being cheesy? Excessive hearts, everything in red and pink, cute and cuddly bears, and more sweets than we can handle. Somehow shrimp just popped into my head in a heart-shaped image. Of course, I am in love and so these thoughts come easily. Each shrimp is the perfect half of a heart so you can share each one.

For those that never cook and Valentine’s Day is your only foray into the kitchen, you can buy cooked and peeled shrimp (look for tails on) and the cocktail sauce, and just arrange it on the plate. For those that want to do more cooking, you can buy raw shrimp, cook it yourself, and make fresh cocktail sauce. I like mine extra spicy and tangy.

shrimp hearts 2

The Shrimp Hearts make a perfect starter/appetizer course. After that, I suggest a deep red-colored sauce over your choice of pasta. Top with some fresh basil. It’s an aphrodisiac! Finish with chocolate, maybe a Red Velvet Cake or Double Chocolate Truffle Cupcakes! Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your honey!

Valentine’s Day Shrimp Cocktail
~for two

  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
  • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 6 large cooked shrimp

Instructions –

1. In a small bowl or ramekin, stir together ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Set aside.

2. Peel shrimp, leaving tails on.

3. (Optional: Use a pastry brush to brush a stroke of cocktail sauce down the center of the plate.)

4. Arrange shrimp in pairs, as hearts on the plate. Serve more cocktail sauce on the side.

Valentine's Day Shrimp Cocktail 6

posted by jessica at 05:08 PM Filed under American, Holidays, Recipes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.