Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

Photo by Katie Guymon

Last Friday, Catherine came over for happy hour, and I served roasted shrimp cocktail. We both easily became believers in this twist on a pretty standard appetizer. The shrimp is incredibly easy to prepare (especially if you gather a weird satisfaction during the peeling and deveining process, like I do), but it looks elegant and tastes more special than the norm. Serve these shrimp with your favorite prepared cocktail sauce and a spritz of fresh lemon juice, and there you go.

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail [adapted from Barefoot Contessa; serving size: 4]
-1 pound of 16-20 count shrimp
-1 tablespoon of olive oil
-1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
-1/2 teaspoon of fresh cracked pepper

1. Peel and devein the shrimp, then rinse clean with cold water.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the shrimp in a single layer on a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Roast for 6-8 minutes, just until pink, firm, and cooked through. Set aside to cool, or serve warm.