Ingredients
- 1 (.25 ounce) package unflavored gelatin
- ½ cup cold water
- 1 ½ ounces Asian bean thread vermicelli noodles
- 4 cups boiling water, or as needed
- 1 (8 ounce) jar cocktail sauce
- 2 pounds cooked shrimp – peeled, tails removed, and shrimp chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped, or more to taste
- ½ (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, chopped, or more to taste
- 1 brain-shaped gelatin mold
- 1 (8 ounce) jar cocktail sauce
Directions
-
Sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water in a bowl and set aside to soften. Place bean thread noodles in heatproof bowl and top with 4 cups boiling water or amount needed to cover. Allow noodles to soften for 5 minutes.
-
Pour 1 jar cocktail sauce into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in softened gelatin; cook, stirring frequently, until completely melted. Remove pan from heat.
-
Combine shrimp, celery, and water chestnuts in a large bowl. Drain noodles and shake off excess water; add to bowl. Add warmed gelatin mixture and stir until well combined.
-
Lightly grease gelatin mold. Press mixture firmly into mold, making sure all gaps are filled. Cover filled mold with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
-
Invert mold onto a serving platter (see Cook’s Notes). Drizzle cocktail sauce around the edges to create pool of “blood.”
Cook’s Notes:
This should unmold easily when inverted and smacked down firmly on a flat surface such as a cutting board. If not, try immersing bottom portion of the mold in warm water for a few seconds, then try again. If you want the texture of your brain to be more smooth, like pate, use your food processor instead of a knife when preparing your shrimp mixture. Add the vermicelli AFTER the other ingredients have been pulverized to perfection.
I buy bean thread vermicelli from Asian markets, where they come in a packet of 6 or 8 sections. Use one section of noodles for this recipe.
