shrimp cocktail + artichoke-potato gratin

INGREDIENTS

• Recipe the first was for shrimp cocktail. Seeing as my husband loves cocktail sauce almost as much as he likes pickles – “I would eat anything dipped in it,” he says with not a hint of joking – when I saw that the America’s Test Kitchen Cookbook had a si
• peppercorns, and even more out of the scandalous act of tossing in seven, and not five, coriander seeds. We’re all rebel yell, aren’t we?
• 1 pound very large (16 to 20 per pound) shrimp, peeled, de-veined, and rinsed, shells reserved
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 peppercorns
• 5 coriander seeds
• 1/2 bay leaf
• 5 sprigs fresh parsley
• 1 sprig fresh tarragon
• 1teaspoon juice from 1 small lemon
• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 1/2 teaspoons prepared horseradish (I believed we used slightly more)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ancho or other mild chili powder
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon juice from 1 small lemon
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
• 20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lemon
• 4 small artichokes
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped (about 1 medium clove)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
• 4 ounces Asiago cheese, grated (I used cave-aged Gruyere, because it’s my favorite)