3 pounds shrimp
2 quarts boiling water
1/2 cup salt
2 lemons, sliced
4 large bunches curly endive
1 Styrofoam cone (2 1/2 feet high)^*
1 Styrofoam square (12″ x 12″ x 1″)^*
Cocktail sauce (below)

Place unshelled shrimp in large kettle of boiling water; add salt and lemon slices; cover and cook over low heat 4-5 minutes or until shrimp are pink and tender; do not overcook or shrimp will be tough.

Drain and peel, leaving on last section and tail; devein. Place in bowl and refrigerate, covered, until needed.

Separate endive leaves and rinse well under cold water; drain and chill in plastic bags with paper towels to absorb moisture.

^*Prepare Christmas Tree base: Place Styrofoam cone in center of Styrofoam square and trace with pencil; cut out circle and lodge cone firmly in square.

Cover base and cone with curly endive leaves, overlapping leaves to resemble evergreen leaves, and fastening leaves to Styrofoam with toothpicks. (Work from bottom to top.)

Decorate tree with shrimp, attaching to the Styrofoam with toothpicks and arranging them in spiral manner; if desired, decorate tree with additional nibblers (olives, pimiento stars, cherry tomatoes, radish roses) and top tree with red ribbon. Serve with Cocktail Sauce.

Cocktail Sauce: Mix 1/2 cup prepared horseradish with 2 cups chili sauce; for creamy cocktail sauce, fold in 1/2 cup mayonnaise.

Copyright© 1977 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.