Classic Cocktail Sauce

A good cocktail sauce recipe balances sweetness, heat, and acidity in perfect harmony. Sweetness comes in the form of ketchup, a fridge-door staple that provides the backbone of this recipe. While many versions call for chili sauce, ketchup lets you add your desired level of spice to tailor it to your exact taste. The heat stems from two main sources: prepared horseradish, which gives the sauce its signature back-of-the-throat heat, and a generous amount of black pepper provides a sharper aromatic kick. The final key component, acidity, comes from both lemon zest and juice. While the former might not provide any actual acidity, its peppy flavor brightens the sauce and adds a welcome tartness that counteracts the sweetness of the ketchup. A touch of celery salt and dash of Worcestershire sauce adds complexity, and ties the sauce together.

While serving the sauce with poached shrimp is a classic pairing, coupling it with other seafood such as raw oysters, crab cakes, or fried fish is a guaranteed win. The tangy, slightly spicy flavor cuts through the richness of heavier seafoods and provides much-needed brightness to any fried option.