Hot Shrimp Cocktail

This shrimp appetizer was inspired by a recipe for pork braised in a seductive tomato sauce called porc au pili pili that I discovered in Simone Beck’s “Simca’s Cuisine” many years ago. In the original version, pork stew meat is braised in a tomato sauce seasoned with onions, carrots, curry, hot peppers and beef stock. I changed the preparation slightly, using leeks and chicken stock in place of onions and beef stock, and offered it as a warm condiment to cooked large shrimp.

The sauce can be completely prepared up to two days ahead and reheated at serving time. The shrimp can be cooked early in the day and used either chilled or at room temperature. If you are pressed for time and feeling extravagant, you can even buy the shrimp shelled and cooked.

SHRIMP WITH WARM SPICY TOMATO SAUCE

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped leeks

1/2 cup coarsely grated carrots

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper

2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1 bay leaf

3 cups chopped, seeded ripe tomatoes, or equal amount drained and chopped canned plum tomatoes

1 cup chicken stock

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 pounds cooked, peeled and deveined large (21- to 30-count) shrimp

Heat olive oil in large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks and carrots and saute, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, crushed hot pepper, curry powder and bay leaf and cook and stir 1 minute more.

Add tomatoes and chicken stock and simmer until thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf. Sauce can be made 1 to 2 days ahead. Cool, cover and refrigerate. Reheat, stirring, until hot before serving.

To serve, arrange hot sauce in bowl in center of serving tray. Mound shrimp, preferably chilled or at room temperature, around bowl. Dip shrimp into sauce or use spoon to ladle sauce on shrimp. Makes 8 servings.