Shrimp cocktail is a splurge, whether you’re popping crustaceans at a raw bar or poaching a batch yourself. Each bite should feel like luxury: plump, snappy, well-chilled meat with clean, oceanic sweetness that gleams on your palate.
Nailing that profile is all about poaching the shrimp just right. First, the water must be judiciously seasoned to underscore shrimp’s natural brininess. Second, the shrimp must reach, but not exceed, their ideal doneness. That’s hard to do well, because small, lean shrimp go from raw to rubbery in an instant and because it’s hard to monitor the temperature of so many pieces.
There are a few unusual steps I take to ensure proper seasoning. First, I brine the shrimp in water laced with both salt
