Chilled Shrimp Appetizer
This healthy Chilled Shrimp Appetizer is perfect for entertaining or hosting a girl’s night. Succulent, colossal shrimp are poached perfectly with lemon, peppercorn, and bay leaf. Next, add some cool cucumber slices and the BEST Yogurt Dill Dressing! Top off with plenty of capers, fresh dill, and lemon wedges for the ultimate, healthy, cold shrimp appetizer.
One of the most classic appetizers is chilled shrimp or prawns prepared with remoulade, cocktail sauce, or another delicious dipping sauce. If I entertain, you bet I’ll have a Chilled Shrimp Appetizer on my table. This delightful version has a Mediterranean spin by adding crisp cucumbers, my almost famous Yogurt Dill Dressing (a reader favorite!), capers, and lots of fresh dill. Serve with a good squeeze of lemon, and enjoy! This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy chilled shrimp, and I wanted to share it with you all. I like to poach my shrimp to add a subtle flavor boost, but you can use frozen, cooked shrimp in a pinch.
My favorite way to poach shrimp
If you are poaching shrimp, prepare an ice bath for the cooked shrimp. I use a simple method of poaching seafood: a braiser filled with enough water to cover the shrimp and some aromatics. I add water, fresh lemon slices, whole peppercorns, a pinch of salt, and a bay leaf to the braiser. Bring to a low simmer; add shrimp and poach for 5-6 minutes for colossal-size shrimp. Immediately remove the cooked shrimp and place it in the ice bath so the shrimp stops cooking. Once the shrimp are completely cooled, remove them from the ice bath, pat dry them, and set aside.
Poaching defrosted seafood is fast and perfect for warm day meals like my Easy Chilled Poached Salmon Salad or Salmon Caper Orzo Salad.
Ingredients
This gorgeous and fresh platter comes together in 30 minutes or less. I like to chill it before serving, so you can add another 30 minutes to the total time.
- 1 pound of extra large, jumbo, or colossal shrimp (13-16 count), peeled, deveined, poached, or cooked cleaned shrimp.
- 1 whole fresh lemon: half of fresh lemon, sliced + the second half cut into wedges
- 5 peppercorns
- 1 dried bay leaf
- English cucumber, thickly sliced
- Fresh dill leaves, about 1/4 cup
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- 1 recipe of Yogurt Dill Dressing
How to assemble this Chilled Shrimp Appetizer
One of my favorite tips for serving this Chilled Shrimp Appetizer is to serve it on a cold platter or a festive ice block.
Start by spreading Yogurt Dill Dressing onto the chilled plate. Next, arrange cucumber slices on one side and the cold, poached shrimp on the left. Top with a generous amount of fresh dill leaves and capers, and garnish with lemon wedges.
There is nothing better than a make-ahead appetizer, and this is the perfect one! Once this Chilled Shrimp Appetizer is assembled, cover it tightly and place it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
Frequently asked questions
Tzatziki works perfectly with this recipe. My Whipped Feta and Yogurt Dip is also a delicious option!
Yes! Smoked salmon, cooked lobster, or cooked crab meat is terrific. Try a mix for an impressive platter for entertaining.
This is perfect for Easter, brunch, and the Holidays, as it is perfect with cocktails like a Martini or glass of Champagne or wine.
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All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
Chilled Shrimp Appetizer
August 7, 2024Equipment
- 1 braiser or shallow pan
- 1 Platter chilled
Ingredients
- 1 pound of extra large or jumbo shrimp 13-16 count, deveined and poached or cooked cleaned shrimp.
- 1 whole fresh lemon: half of fresh lemon sliced + the second half cut into wedges
- 5 peppercorns
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 medium English cucumber thickly sliced
- Fresh dill leaves about 1/4 cup
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- 1 recipe Yogurt Dill Dressing dressing
Instructions
How to poach shrimp
- If you are using cooked shrimp, skip this step.
- First, prepare an ice bath for the cooked shrimp.
- Next, fill a braiser with enough water to cover the shrimp.
- Add fresh lemon slices, whole peppercorns, a pinch of salt, and a bay leaf to the braiser.
- Bring to a low simmer; add shrimp and poach for 5-6 minutes.
- Immediately remove the cooked shrimp and place it in the ice bath so the shrimp stops cooking.
- Once the shrimp are completely cooled, remove from the ice bath, pat dry and set aside.
How to assemble the platter
- Start by spreading Dressing or Tzatziki onto the chilled plate.
- Next, arrange cucumber slices on one side and the cold, poached shrimp on the other.
- Top with a generous amount of fresh dill leaves and capers, and garnish with lemon wedges.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated online and should be used as a guide.
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
