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Prawn Cocktail
Serves 4 Prep 10 min Cook 0 min Total 10 min Type Snack Origin British

Prawn Cocktail

The British seventies dinner-party throwback, refusing to die because it's actually good. Cooked prawns on shredded lettuce, smothered in a mayo-ketchup-Worcestershire sauce, paprika dusted, lemon wedge. Five minutes; all the joy of nostalgia.

Serves 4 Prep 10 minutes Cook 0 minutes Units Rate

Overview

Marie Rose sauce, mayo, ketchup, Worcestershire, a squeeze of lemon, a splash of brandy if you're feeling decadent, coats cooked king prawns. Piled into glasses or plates over shredded iceberg or little gem; paprika dusts the top; lemon wedge alongside.

Ingredients

Marie Rose sauce

  • 6 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • A few drops Tabasco
  • 1 teaspoon brandy (optional)
  • A pinch of salt and white pepper

To assemble

  • 400 g cooked, peeled king prawns (deveined, tails removed)
  • 1 iceberg (small, or 2 little gems, very finely shredded)
  • 1 lemon (cut into 4 wedges)
  • ½ teaspoon sweet paprika (for dusting)
  • A few sprigs of dill (or chives)

Method

Stage 1 - Sauce

  1. Whisk all the Marie Rose ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Taste; adjust with more lemon, ketchup or Tabasco to your liking.

Stage 2 - Prawns

  1. Pat the prawns dry with kitchen paper.
  2. Toss them through the sauce until evenly coated.

Stage 3 - Assemble

  1. Pile shredded lettuce in 4 glasses, martini glasses, or shallow dishes.
  2. Spoon the dressed prawns on top.
  3. Dust with paprika.
  4. Tuck a lemon wedge on the side; scatter dill or chives.

Notes

  • Cold ingredients: Marie Rose loves cold prawns and crisp lettuce. Warm prawns wilt the lettuce and the sauce splits.
  • Iceberg over little gem: Iceberg gives the proper retro crunch; little gem is fine but tastes more sophisticated than the spirit of the dish.
  • Hidden brandy: A teaspoon adds depth without being detectable. Skip if avoiding alcohol.

Storage

  • Best assembled immediately; the sauce makes the lettuce wilt within an hour.
  • Sauce keeps 3 days refrigerated; mix prawns and lettuce only when you serve.

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