Serves 4

SAUCE

½ cup ketchup or tomato-based chile sauce

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh horseradish root, or prepared horseradish, or more to taste

Juice of ½ lemon, or more to taste

Black pepper, to taste

1. In a bowl, combine the ketchup or chile sauce, horseradish, lemon juice, and pepper.

2. Taste for seasoning and add more horseradish or lemon, if you like. Refrigerate until using.

SHRIMP

1 pound large (21 to 25 per pound) shrimp

3 cups water

1 cup white wine

½ onion, sliced

1 teaspoon salt

2 bay leaves

½ teaspoon peppercorns

2 sprigs parsley

1. Have on hand a large bowl filled with ice water.

2. In a wide saucepan over medium heat, bring the water and wine to a simmer. Add the onion, salt, bay leaves, peppercorns, and parsley. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Taste the broth. It should taste like well-seasoned stock.

3. Add the shrimp and stir. Remove the pot from the heat. Cover it and leave for 2 minutes, or until the shrimp are opaque in the center. With a slotted spoon, quickly transfer the shrimp to the ice water bath. Swish them around for 1 minute. Drain and pat dry. Refrigerate until cold, or for up to 24 hours. (Strain the broth and use to make chowders or other fish-based soups.)

4. Fill 4 stemmed or other wide-topped glasses with shrimp. Transfer the sauce to small bowls, shot glasses, or hollowed-out lemon halves. Serve with the sauce. Sally Pasley Vargas