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Classic Prawn Cocktail Recipe for the Retro Starter that Never Goes Out of Style. Valentines Day dinner recipes. Copyright © 2021 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.
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5 from 1 vote

Classic Prawn Cocktail Recipe

This classic prawn cocktail recipe makes my take on the retro appetiser popularised in the 1970s that will never go out of style. Tiger prawns boiled quickly in their shells so they’re just done are peeled, tossed in a creamy tangy ‘seafood sauce’, and served on a bed of lettuce salad, also dressed with the same sauce.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time4 minutes
Total Time24 minutes
Course: Appetiser, Starter
Cuisine: Australian
Servings: 2
Calories: 494kcal
Author: Lara Dunston

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 12 large fresh raw tiger prawns shells on

Seafood Sauce

  • 4 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 4 tbsp tomato sauce (ketchup)
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 small purple shallot finely diced
  • 2 chives finely sliced
  • 1 spring onion/scallion green part only, finely sliced
  • ½ tsp ground paprika
  • ½ tsp ground chilli powder
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp fresh dill finely chopped
  • 1 small lettuce little gem or iceberg
  • 1 lime for garnishing
  • 1 tsp fresh dill sprigs for garnishing

Instructions

  • In a large pot, bring 3 litres of water to the boil, add a tablespoon of lemon juice, then drop the whole tiger prawns into the pot. As soon as the prawns rise to the surface they’re ready, so use a slotted spoon to scoop them out and drop them in a bowl of iced water. Leave them for a couple of minutes so they stop cooking, then drain them.
  • Carefully remove all the shells of 8 prawns, taking care not to damage them, by first removing the heads, then legs, then body of the shell, and tails of all but 4 prawns. If you wish to de-vein the prawns, use a toothpick or tweezers to tug out the poop; don’t slice the prawns down their backs. If messy from the juices from the heads, rinse the prawns quickly under cold running water, pat them dry, put them in a clean bowl, and refrigerate them.
  • In a small bowl, make the seafood sauce by stirring the mayonnaise and tomato sauce (ketchup) until combined, then add the lemon juice, finely diced purple shallot, spices and seasoning, and finely sliced chives and spring onions/scallions, and finely chopped fresh dill, stir until well-combined, then refrigerate.
  • Wash the lettuce leaves, pat them dry, then arrange the leaves in cocktail glasses or glass bowls, so they line the bowl and prettily protrude over the edges.
  • Finely slice or shred the remaining lettuce leaves, transfer to a bowl, and combine with half the seafood sauce. Scoop this out with a spoon and divide between the cocktail glasses or bowls so that it almost fills them.
  • Chop all of the prawns, except the 4 prawns with tails, into large chunky pieces, combine with the remaining seafood sauce, and pile them onto the salad. Arrange the last 2 prawns with tails attractively on top of them, then sprinkle on fresh dill sprigs and serve immediately with quarters of limes or lemons.

Nutrition

Calories: 494kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 435mg | Sodium: 2856mg | Potassium: 971mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2613IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 252mg | Iron: 3mg