Shrimp Cocktail

Steps

1. Stir the ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce and celery salt together in a small bowl. Taste and add more horseradish if you like it hot. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the flavors blend.
2. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set it near the stove.
3. Put the 8 cups of water, salt, bay leaves and peppercorns in a large pot. Squeeze in the lemon halves and drop them in. Bring to a boil and let it bubble for 5 minutes.
4. Add the shrimp and stir once. The water may stop bubbling, and that is fine, so leave the heat where it is. Cook until the shrimp are pink and the flesh is pearly and opaque all the way through, 3 to 4 minutes. Cut one in half to check.
5. With a slotted spoon or spider, move the shrimp straight into the ice water. Let them chill for 5 to 10 minutes, until completely cold, then drain and pat dry.
6. Peel the shrimp, leaving the tails on for a handle. Keep them covered in the refrigerator until you serve them.
7. Fill a wide bowl or platter with crushed ice, if using. Arrange the shrimp on the ice or around the rim of a glass, set the sauce in the center and add the lemon wedges. Refrigerate any shrimp still out after 2 hours.

Good to know

• Make ahead: the sauce keeps up to 1 week in the refrigerator. The shrimp can be cooked and peeled up to 1 day ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator.
• Other sizes: cook 26 to 30 count shrimp about 2 minutes, 21 to 25 count 2 to 3 minutes and jumbo 13 to 15 count 4 to 5 minutes, and cut one open to check. Frozen shrimp work well. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or in a colander under cold running water.
• Swap: for a milder sauce, use half chili sauce and half ketchup, or cut back on the horseradish.