Community Cookbook: Lobster Joint’s Shrimp Cocktail

Local seafood restaurant Lobster Joint (1073 Manhattan Ave.) has been bringing a taste of New England to Greenpoint since 2011. 

For this early edition of the Community Cookbook, Lobster Joint’s co-owner Steven Costello has shared the restaurant’s recipe for shrimp cocktail, a perfect Thanksgiving appetizer. Costello called shrimp cocktail a “crowd favorite” that is “fun and easy” to prepare. 

Learn how to make Lobster Joint’s shrimp cocktail below and find last week’s Community Cookbook recipe here.

Lobster Joint’s Shrimp Cocktail

*Recipe serves around 4-5 people as an appetizer, with some leftover cocktail sauce.

Ingredients for shrimp

1 pound of tail on frozen or fresh uncooked shrimp 

(This will be about 16-20 pieces of shrimp. Fun fact: The number of the shrimp represents the approximate number of shrimp per pound, so you can base your purchase on how many pieces you want to prepare.)  

6 lemons

3 celery stalks

1 onion

3 carrots

1/2 cup of white wine

Fresh parsley for garnish

Directions for shrimp

1. In a large saucepan, bring 1 gallon of lightly salted water to a boil.
2. Dice celery, onions and carrots, and add to water.
3. Slice 4 lemons into 6 wedges each, and add to water.
4. Slice 2 remaining lemons into wedges, and reserve for serving.
5. Add white wine to saucepan.
6. Allow the water to boil for 10 minutes.
7. Add the shrimp to the saucepan and boil for 2-2.5 minutes if fresh and 3-3.5 minutes if frozen.
8. Immediately strain over sink.
9. Fill a large mixing bowl with ice and water.
10. Pour strained shrimp and vegetables into the bowl of ice water.
11. Once very cold, separate shrimp into a bowl and place in fridge. (You can discard vegetables.)

Ingredients for cocktail sauce

16 ounces of ketchup

1/4 cup of tomato juice

4 ounces of drained horseradish

1/8 cup of lemon juice

1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon of hot sauce (Frank’s or Tabasco)

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

Directions for cocktail sauce

1. Mix only ketchup and horseradish in a mixing bowl first.

2. Add remaining ingredients and whisk together.

3. Refrigerate for at least one hour for flavors to marinate.

Presentation Options:

1. Set up a large plate with all the shrimp and lemons laid out over ice and lettuce with a bowl of cocktail sauce.

2. Fill individual bowls or cocktail glasses with ice and place shrimp hanging over the side with lemons in the middle, and small cups of sauce on the side.

*For either option, sprinkle some sprigs of parsley over the top for added visual appeal.