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Prawn Cocktail

A Prawn Cocktail comprises of a layer of crispy lettuce, some cubed cucumber and avocado, topped with prawns and a luscious smooth, silky, velvety Marie Rose Sauce and a wedge of lemon. The sauce is essentially a mix of ketchup and mayonnaise, with a few added extras; you can make it as quick and easy and as simple as you like. You can even miss out the cucumber and avocado, if you like.

Course Starter
Keyword Marie Rose Sauce, prawns
Prep Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the Marie Rose Sauce: enough for 4 - 6 cocktails -

  • 60g/4 tablespoons good quality mayonnaise
  • 50g/3 tablespoons good quality ketchup
  • 30g/2 tablespoons double cream
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Noilly Prat, (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ⅛ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
  • small ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • salt, to taste
  • cayenne pepper to taste – up to around ⅛ teaspoon (optional)

Prawn Cocktails: quantities below, suggested per person -

  • 30g lettuce – either iceberg or gem lettuce heart, shredded
  • 15g cucumber, chopped into small cubes
  • 20g avocado, skin and stone removed, chopped
  • 60g cooked prawns – I use half small and half king prawns
  • Marie Rose Sauce – to taste, around 2 – 3 tablespoons per cocktail
  • cayenne pepper or paprika powder

Instructions

  1. Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.

  2. First, make the Marie Rose Sauce: simply measure all the ingredients, apart from the salt, into a mixing bowl and stir together thoroughly.

  3. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary – you may wish to add some salt and/or cayenne pepper.

  4. Now, bring it all together: prepare the vegetables -

    - finely shred the lettuce.

    - chop the cucumber into small cubes.

    - remove the skin and stone from the avocado and chop into cubes.

  5. Layer the vegetables in a serving dish/bowl – traditionally large martini glasses are used but use a bowl or dish of your choice. I add a layer of lettuce, followed by cucumber and then avocado.

  6. Top with the prawns.

  7. Drizzle over the Marie Rose Sauce.

  8. Sprinkle over a little cayenne pepper, for heat, or paprika, if you don’t want any heat.

  9. Pop a prawn, in its shell, over the edge of the glass/bowl to garnish, and serve with a wedge of lemon. NB If you don’t have any prawns with their shells on, balance the lemon wedge on the side of the glass instead.

  10. Serve as is with some fresh bread on the side.

Recipe Notes

Equipment:

  • kitchen scales and measuring spoons
  • chopping board and knife
  • mixing bowl
  • serving glasses/bowls