on Sep 05, 2018, Updated Aug 24, 2020 I’m taking you back in time today. To an appetizer that still feels very adult-ish and grown up and I can’t even believe I’m actually writing a recipe for it. Because I’ve had this only a few times in life, and I still remember the whole thing crystal clear. It was my sisters favorite and we would always compete for the last prawn. But the taste is so unforgettable. Chilled prawns, that pink cocktail sauce that was sweetish and so addictive and crisp lettuce that we would pick and use to wipe off the last bits of sauce. I don’t even know if people serve it like this anymore. In stem glasses (although I’ve used ice cream bowls here because umm no martini glasses in our house – no judging please!) or has serving prawn cocktail become fancier? I’ve seen versions where they are served salad style in large platters. Either way, this is a delicious, easy appetizer that will bring back memories for everyone! Here’s a conversation starter if there was ever one. There isn’t much to this recipe, because it has a pretty small list of mandatory ingredients – prawns, mayonnaise, worcestershire sauce, ketchup and some lettuce. Everything else is optional really. Which is why its very important that those five ingredients are good quality. So buy your prawns from a good source, make sure you buy good quality mayonnaise (no vegetarian mayo please!), and get really crisp, fresh lettuce.
Cooking Prawns for Prawn Cocktail
There are different ways to cook prawns for prawn cocktail. You can cook them in a pan for 3-4 minutes on each side in a splash of olive oil, or you can poach them in boiling water (I have instructions in the recipe below). You can also use pre-cooked prawns which are available at supermarkets. Either way, make sure to get the best quality prawns you can find.
How do you make Prawn Marie Rose Sauce (Cocktail Sauce)?
The sauce used for prawn cocktail is called marie rose sauce and its made with four key ingredients: mayonnaise, worcestershire sauce, ketchup and either cayenne pepper or tabasco. I like to add a squeeze of lime juice, some others like to add horseradish, and even a splash of brandy. The sauce is pink from the ketchup, and has a creamy, sweetish taste. It’s a great dipping sauce and you can use it to dip fried chicken, nuggets, potato wedges, fries, wings etc. When I use prawns, I like to keep the tails on because it gives them perfect handling. You can hold ’em tails and dip it in the sauce. Also dip the ends in extra sauce and just suck the meat out of the tails. So much fun!
More Fancy Yet Simple Recipes:
Fancy Tomato Pie Vegetarian Sushi Bowl With Teriyaki Dressing Masala Chai Panna Cotta Golden Turmeric Milk Chia Seed Pudding Last Minute Plum Cake (Christmas Fruit Cake)
