Mtk's Sauced Shrimp

This cold shrimp appetizer packs a wild amount of flavor into one sauce. Sour cream and mayo form the creamy base, but then it takes a sharp turn with chili sauce, horseradish, Worcestershire, Tabasco, curry powder, mango chutney, and briny capers all stirred together.

It sounds like a lot going on, and it is. But the genius is that each ingredient handles a different job. The horseradish brings sinus-clearing heat, the curry adds warmth and earthiness, the chutney brings fruity sweetness, and the capers drop in pops of salt and acid. Together they create a sauce that hits every part of your palate in one bite.

Toss the cooked, chilled shrimp in the sauce and let them sit in the fridge for several hours. The longer they marinate, the deeper the flavors soak into the shrimp. This is the kind of appetizer you make the night before a party and forget about until it’s time to set out the spread.

Chef Tips

• Use pre-cooked, tail-off shrimp for an appetizer that guests can eat with toothpicks or cocktail forks without mess.
• Drain the horseradish well before adding. Excess liquid thins out the sauce and dilutes all those carefully layered flavors.
• Mince the mango chutney very fine so it distributes evenly. Big chunks create uneven sweetness in some bites and none in others.

Variations

• Add diced avocado right before serving for a creamy, cooling contrast to the spicy sauce.
• Swap the curry powder for Old Bay seasoning for a more traditional American seafood profile.
• Serve the sauce on the side as a dip with the shrimp arranged around a platter for a more interactive presentation.