Chile-Beer Shrimp in Spicy Horseradish Sauce

I adapted this dish from the recipe for Drunken 'Hot Lips' Spiced Shrimp in The El Paso Chile Company's Burning Desires cookbook. The ingredients, except for the addition of sugar and the proportions, are essentially the same. Although the combination of ingredients may sound a little odd, this is a highly addictive dish. A great finger food and make-ahead appetizer since it's best served at room temperature.


Ingredients:
2 lbs. medium shrimp, shelled & deveined
2 quarts (8 cups) water
12 oz. amber beer (I like to use Newcastle)
10 small whole dried red chilies
8 whole unpeeled garlic cloves
1 tbsp. yellow mustard seeds
4 bay leaves
1 large lemon, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup creamy horseradish
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. hot sauce (Tabasco or Crystal Hot Sauce are my favs)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. sugar


1. Combine water, beer, chilies, mustard seeds and bay leaves in a medium stock pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, cover partially, and simmer for about 10 minutes.


2. In a small bowl, whisk together horseradish, Worcestershire, hot sauce & olive oil; set aside.


3. Add shrimp, lemon slices and salt to the beer mixture & cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are just cooked, about 3-4 minutes. Pour shrimp mixture through a strainer & drain well. Transfer everything (shrimp, chilies, lemon slices, mustard seeds, bay leaves, garlic cloves) to a large serving bowl. Toss in the horseradish mixture & 1 tsp. of sugar; let cool to room temperature before serving.

In a small bowl, whisk together horseradish, Worcestershire, hot sauce and olive oil.

Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, Crystal Hot Sauce & prepared horseradish.

Place beer, water, chilies, bay leaves, mustard seeds and garlic cloves in a medium stock pot. Bring to a boil, partially cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the lemon slices, shrimp & salt & cook for 3-4 minutes or until the shrimp is just cooked through. Immediately pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer and drain well.

Place the drained shrimp, lemon slices, chiles, bay leaves, mustard seeds and garlic cloves in a large bowl. Stir in the horseradish sauce until well blended. Let mixture cool to room temperature before serving.

Serve with lots of napkins on the side.