Definition

1. Noun:
   • A cold sauce, typically served as a condiment with seafood, especially shrimp. Its base is usually ketchup or chili sauce, to which prepared horseradish and lemon juice are added. It is known for its tangy, slightly spicy, and sweet flavor profile.

Usage

• Noun:
  • Cocktail sauce is the classic accompaniment for boiled shrimp.
  • She asked for extra cocktail sauce with her crab cakes.
  • The recipe for a simple cocktail sauce calls for three main ingredients.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The platter of chilled seafood was served with a bowl of cocktail sauce in the center.
  • I prefer my cocktail sauce to be very spicy, so I add a lot of horseradish.
  • A good cocktail sauce should have a balance of sweetness, tang, and heat.

Advanced Usage

• "to have a kick": When describing , this idiom means it is pleasantly spicy.
  • This cocktail sauce really has a kick, thanks to the fresh horseradish.

Variants and Related Words

• Seafood sauce: A common synonym, especially in British English.
• Marie Rose sauce: A similar British sauce often used with prawns, typically made with mayonnaise and ketchup/tomato sauce, but distinct from the horseradish-based American cocktail sauce.
• Remoulade: Another cold sauce for seafood, but typically mayonnaise-based with herbs, capers, and pickles, offering a different flavor profile.

Synonyms

• Seafood sauce: A direct synonym.
• Dipping sauce for shrimp: A descriptive synonym.

Related Phrases

• Cocktail shrimp: Shrimp specifically prepared and served with cocktail sauce.
  • The party appetizers included a tray of cocktail shrimp.
• Shrimp cocktail: A classic appetizer consisting of chilled, cooked shrimp served with cocktail sauce for dipping.
  • For the first course, I ordered the shrimp cocktail.

Noun

1. usually catsup with horseradish and lemon juice