Before I up and moved out of my parents’ home, my mom would celebrate each of my birthdays by making linguine marinara and an appetizer of shrimp cocktail. Actually, she still whipped up my special birthday dinners even after I moved out, probably to guarantee I’d come back and join the family for a home-cooked meal at least once a year. Nowadays, I tend to jazz up my shrimp dishes, but the simple elegance of the cocktail will always remind me of my birthday dinner.

Today’s recipe:
3 Tbsp Hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp ketchup
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 lb colossal/jumbo shrimp, cleaned, peeled, and deveined

Whisk together ingredients in a medium bowl until well blended. Toss in shrimp and mix to coat. Let marinate in mixture 2 hours. Grill or sauté over medium heat in a skillet with 2 Tbsp olive or peanut oil until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Serve over rice or couscous.