Shrimp Cocktail with Avocado and Grapefruit
Classic shrimp cocktail with creamy grapefruit-cognac sauce, fresh avocado, and segments of Florida grapefruit. Tender halved shrimp rest on romaine lettuce in a tangy emulsified dressing brightened by reduced grapefruit juice and a splash of cognac, finished with a pinch of pepper.
Ingredients
- 4 romaine lettuce leaves
- ½ avocado, sliced
- 4 cooked large shrimp, halved lengthwise
- 1 Florida grapefruit, segmented
- 10 tablespoon Florida grapefruit juice
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1 cups grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- cognac, splash(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Reduce grapefruit juice in a saucepan over high heat until one-third remains, then cool completely.
- 2
Whisk egg yolk with mustard, salt, and pepper until combined.
- 3
Add oil in small amounts while stirring constantly until emulsified.
- 4
Stir in ketchup, cognac, and cooled grapefruit juice until smooth.
- 5
Place one romaine leaf in each of four cocktail glasses.
- 6
Spoon a small amount of sauce over each leaf.
- 7
Arrange avocado slices on top of the sauce.
- 8
Add one halved shrimp and one grapefruit segment to each glass.
- 9
Season each cocktail with salt and pepper to taste.
Tips
Reduce grapefruit juice slowly for balanced flavor; too quick reduction concentrates bitterness.
Emulsify sauce gradually to prevent breaking; whisk constantly during oil addition.
Chill cocktail glasses before assembly for better presentation.
Good to Know
Sauce stores refrigerated up to 2 days in airtight container; assemble cocktails to order.
Prepare sauce fully and reduce grapefruit juice the day before; assemble glasses just before serving.
Serve in chilled cocktail glasses as a plated first course or appetizer.
Common Mistakes
Add oil too quickly to prevent sauce breaking and separating.
Taste grapefruit juice reduction frequently to avoid over-concentration and bitterness.
Use room-temperature egg yolk to help emulsify oil smoothly.