The Simple Ingredient Addition For A Creamier Cocktail Sauce
Cocktail sauce and seafood is an undeniable match made in food heaven. Tangy and spicy with specks of zest, the sauce highlights the meat's sweet, briny taste like no other. Hidden in this familiar greatness are potential twists and changes that can make it even better. Most of the time, you'll only need one or two simple ingredients to make a difference. If creaminess is the improvement you want, don't overlook that bottle of mayo sitting in your fridge.
On its own, the cocktail sauce is already quite thick, but with mayonnaise in the picture, it only gets better. A mix of eggs, vinegar, and oil, the condiment offers a velvety smoothness that takes the sauce's texture to the next level. With this subtle enhancement, your cocktail sauce goes from a merely satisfying mouthfeel to an unparalleled lusciousness.
We can't neglect the flavor change, either. Mayonnaise has a sweet undertone that complements the horseradish's sharpness exceptionally well, on top of mellowing out the hot sauce's spicy touch. Then there's the tanginess that melds right into the cocktail sauce's signature acidic taste. The change is nothing drastic or out of the box, but it's the perfect balance between revamping the sauce and staying true to its beloved qualities.
What to consider when using this addition
The amount of mayonnaise to use when you're making the cocktail sauce depends on many factors. It should be based on the specific recipe, the intensity of the main ingredients, and how creamy you'd like the cocktail sauce to be. Don't forget to take the mayonnaise itself into consideration as well. The taste and texture can vastly vary between different brands. Anything less than a cup should do the trick, but you can start by adding about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of mayo for every 1 cup of cocktail sauce. Play it safe with a small amount first and adjust along the way to ensure the sauce's original flavor doesn't get overwhelmed.
Even with the added mayonnaise, don't feel like you can't experiment with other ingredients. In some recipes of cocktail sauce, a tablespoon of liquor such as brandy or whiskey is also included to layer it with a sophisticated depth. As for spices, your choices are as diverse as ever, but cayenne pepper and paprika are the most common for a touch of heat that ties right in with the hot sauce. Last but not least, the herbs. While not compulsory, a pinch of chives or dill can give your hearty sauce a light wisp of aroma in the undertone.