Sweet Pepper Margarita Shrimp

I have two goals when I entertain: I want my friends to think I’m a great cook, and I don’t want to do a lot of work. This can sometimes be challenging.

But! Not with this easy-peasy shrimp cocktail. Shrimp with a HOMEMADE cocktail sauce covers “great cook,” and making the sauce the night before out of four ingredients covers “not a lot of work.” Then I just make sure the shrimp is thawed (or boiled if I feel especially ambitious), and voila – an impressive snack I made in minutes. Now I have time to make the perfect margaritas to go with it!

Sweet Pepper Margarita Shrimp Cocktail

By Lisa Ek

• 1 jar Sweet Pepper Jalapeño Jam
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. tequila (optional)
• Cleaned, cooked, deveined shrimp

Combine first 4 ingredients in medium bowl; mix well. Chill until serving time. Serve with shrimp. Makes 1¼ cups sauce.

Sweet Pepper Margarita Shrimp

Tips:

• Serve the cold shrimp on a lettuce-lined plate or on top of crushed ice in a shallow bowl.
• To cook your own shrimp, buy raw shrimp with the shells removed and the tails on. (You can also buy them with the shells on, but that’s more work.) Thaw the shrimp as directed on the package. Heat a pot of water to boiling, drop in the shrimp and cook 2-3 minutes until the shrimp turn pink. Don’t boil too long. Cool the shrimp off quickly in a bowl of ice water or run them under cold tap water. Dry in a colander and serve with the sauce.
• The sauce is delicious without the tequila, but that does add a fun twist and a “grown-up” flavor.
• Garnish the plate with fresh lime slices to squeeze over the shrimp if you desire.
• For two people, 1 pound of shrimp should be enough. Serve with warm Bountiful Beer Bread on the side and Italian Garlic Bread Seasoning seasoned melted butter.
• Frozen shrimp is sold by the pound, but the number of shrimp per pound varies. The lower the number, the bigger the shrimp.

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