Melissa's Lemongrass Shrimp Cocktail with Michelada Mayo

Photo by:

Ed Anderson

"Cook Like a King” Text copyright © 2025 by Melissa King. Food photographs copyright © 2025 by Ed Anderson. Lifestyle photographs copyright © 2025 by Ashley Batz. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group A division of Penguin Random House LLC.

My mom’s one request for this book was that it include my shrimp cocktail. A baking soda brine makes the shrimp plump and bouncy (a prized texture called song in Cantonese). Then I gently poach them in a white wine court bouillon—enhanced with fragrant lemongrass, ginger, and makrut lime leaves—until they’re just cooked through. I even cool the shrimp in the same liquid to keep from diluting the flavor.
While I’m rather condiment-obsessed, I have to say that I can live without cocktail sauce. When coming up with a new dip, I remembered these amazing shrimp skewers I had in Mexico City that were shoved into an icy cold michelada (basically, beer meets Bloody Mary) and used the refreshing drink’s seasonings—lime, chile, and Worcestershire—to rev up store-bought mayo.

Ingredients

FOR THE MICHELADA MAYO

½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup tomato paste
Finely grated zest of 2 limes
1 tablespoon lime juice, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Maggi seasoning
1 teaspoon Tabasco
½ teaspoon Hot Lime Seasoning
½ teaspoon ground celery seed
2 medium garlic cloves, finely grated on a Microplane
Finely ground Aranya Black Pepper
Diamond Crystal kosher salt

FOR THE POACHED SHRIMP

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 pounds colossal or jumbo shrimp
5 garlic cloves, lightly smashed and peeled
5 large makrut lime leaves (optional), bruised
2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed and smashed
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
1 small yellow onion, quartered
3 by 1-inch knob ginger, sliced
2 cups dry white wine
Hot Lime Seasoning, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving

Methods

FOR THE MICHELADA MAYO

In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, tomato paste, lime zest, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, Maggi, Tabasco, Hot Lime Seasoning, celery seed, and garlic cloves. Stir until smooth. Season to taste with pepper and salt and additional lime. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes. (The mayo can be made up to 3 days ahead.)

FOR THE SHRIMP

In a medium bowl, stir together ¼ cup water,1 teaspoon of the salt, and the baking soda until smooth. Add the shrimp and toss to coat well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
In a large pot, combine 10 cups water, the garlic, lime leaves (if using), lemongrass, celery, onion, ginger, and the remaining 2 tablespoons salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes to infuse the flavors. Use a spider strainer to scoop out and discard the aromatics.
Fill a large bowl about three-quarters of the way with ice. Add the wine to the poaching liquid in the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the shrimp, discarding the marinade, then immediately turn off the heat. Stir, cover the pot, and let the shrimp gently poach until pink and firm, 2 to 4 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp.
Transfer the shrimp to the bowl of ice, then carefully pour in enough of the poaching liquid to submerge the shrimp. Stir, then set aside until the shrimp are fully chilled, about 15 minutes.
Drain the shrimp, discarding the poaching liquid. (The shrimp keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.)
Transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle with Hot Lime Seasoning and serve chilled with the michelada mayo and lime wedges.