jazzfest shrimp coctel

Ana Castro of Acamaya in New Orleans did a demonstration of her shrimp coctel at Jazzfest 2025 and it was amazing.

This isn't exactly her recipe but it's as close as I can recall.

Ingredients

For the Shrimp

2 pounds medium size shrimp (Approx 31-35 per pound) deveined, tail shells removed. (Thawed if frozen)
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar

For the Coctel Mixture

2 cup chilled V8
1 cup chilled Clamato juice
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp Crystal's Hot Sauce
2 cups English cucumber- seeded, 1/8-1/4 inch dice
4 tbsp jalapeños – seeded and finely diced
1 cup red onion – finely diced
4 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

Fill large bowl halfway with ice and water. Set aside.

In a medium pot, combine the salt, sugar, and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add the shrimp to the boiling water mixture and poach for about 2 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and opaque. (Note: The water will not fully return to a boil once you add the shrimp.) If you are nervous about the shrimp not being cooked, pull one and slice to make sure they are cooked through.

Transfer shrimp to ice bath and let cool for 3 to 5 minutes. Once cool, pay dry and cut each shrimp into 2-3 bite size pieces per shrimp, depending on size.

In a large mixing bowl, combine tomato juice, clamato juice, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Mix well. Add the cooked, chopped shrimp, cucumber, jalapeño & red onion and gently stir until evenly coated.

Cover and chill in the fridge for at least one hour and up to 24 hours. Taste for seasoning once all the flavors have married. Add salt, pepper hot sauce, and/or lime juice to taste.