I've never quite understood the appeal of the traditional shrimp cocktail. I mean, what could be less interesting than cold boiled shrimp dipped in a lackluster mixture of ketchup and prepared horseradish? Here's a shrimp cocktail with gumption, featuring chile-rubbed, grill-seared shrimp served over a colorful, chunky salsa of avocado and sweet corn. You can chill the grilled shrimp before you serve them, but I like the contrast of hot shrimp and cool salsa.
•The traditional way to devein shrimp is to make a V-shaped cut that runs the length of the back. The advantage of this method is that the shrimp opens up like a butterfly as it grills. A quicker way to devein is to insert the tine of a fork in the back of a shrimp about 1/4 inch deep to snag the vein, then slowly and gently pull it out.
•For a striking presentation, spoon the salsa into oversize martini glasses and drape the shrimp over the side of the glass.
