Shrimp Cocktail Exotique

By Texaschef11

Ingredients

• For sauce:
• 2 navel oranges
• 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp (32 total), shelled and deveined
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon minced and mashed garlic
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Cognac
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 Pinch cayenne, or chipotle powder
• 1 Jalapeno, minced
• 2 firm-ripe California avocados
• 6 canned hearts of palm, drained, rinsed, patted dry, and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces

Preparation

Step 1

With a sharp knife cut a slice from top and bottom of each orange, exposing flesh, and arrange with a cut side down on a cutting board. Cutting from top to bottom, remove peel and pith. Working over a bowl, cut orange sections free from membranes, letting sections drop into bowl, and squeeze in excess juice from membranes. Into a large saucepan of boiling salted water plunge shrimp and poach at a bare simmer just until firm, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain shrimp in a colander and transfer to a large bowl. While shrimp are still warm add oil, garlic, and 1 tablespoon juice from orange sections, stirring to coat shrimp. Let shrimp cool to room temperature.

In a small bowl whisk together sauce ingredients until smooth. Sauce may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Halve avocados lengthwise, remove pit. Transfer orange sections with a slotted spoon to shrimp mixture and add hearts of palm, folding ingredients together gently. Divide salad among avocado halves, mounding it, and spoon sauce over salad