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Classic prawn cocktail

Name: Classic prawn cocktail
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 4 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise (we like Delouis); 2 tbsp tomato ketchup; 4 big shakes Tabasco sauce; 1 tsp dry sherry; Juice ½ lemon, plus wedges to serve (see tip); ¼ iceberg lettuce, shredded; 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives; 2 spring onions, chopped; 400g sustainably sourced cooked king prawns, shelled (if you like, save 4 unshelled prawns for garnishing); Paprika for dusting; You’ll also need; 4 wine glasses or champagne coupes

By: Kay Plunkett-Hogge

Published: 20 Sep 19
Updated: 18 Jun 24

Make our classic prawn cocktail when you want to whip up a starter in just 15 minutes. The prawns and marie-rose sauce can be made in advance too, if you want to save even more time and hassle!

Try this classic dish in salad form with our lime, basil and prawn cocktail salad recipe.

Easy
August 2019

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Hands on time 15 min

Make our classic prawn cocktail when you want to whip up a starter in just 15 minutes. The prawns and marie-rose sauce can be made in advance too, if you want to save even more time and hassle!

Try this classic dish in salad form with our lime, basil and prawn cocktail salad recipe.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 186kcals
Fat: 11.9g (1.1g saturated)
Protein: 15.8g
Carbohydrates: 3.2g (3.2g sugars)
Fibre: 0.7g
Salt: 1.7g

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Ingredients

4 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise (we like Delouis)
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
4 big shakes Tabasco sauce
1 tsp dry sherry
Juice ½ lemon, plus wedges to serve (see tip)
¼ iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
2 spring onions, chopped
400g sustainably sourced cooked king prawns, shelled (if you like, save 4 unshelled prawns for garnishing)
Paprika for dusting

You’ll also need

4 wine glasses or champagne coupes

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Method

Mix the mayo, ketchup, Tabasco and sherry in a mixing bowl until well combined. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and black pepper.
Divide the shredded lettuce among the glasses or coupes. Sprinkle over the chopped chives and spring onions, then top with the prawns and sauce. Dust each portion with paprika and put a lemon wedge
on the side for squeezing. Serve straightaway.

Recipe from August 2019 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 186kcals
Fat: 11.9g (1.1g saturated)
Protein: 15.8g
Carbohydrates: 3.2g (3.2g sugars)
Fibre: 0.7g
Salt: 1.7g

delicious. tips

If you can find some good ripe mangoes – the keitt variety are around now – forgo the lettuce in glasses, scoop out the stone, put the flesh back and serve the prawns in mango halves, using limes instead of lemons.
Prepare the prawns and marie-rose sauce up to a day ahead and keep them covered, separately, in the fridge.
The best bottle for this has to be a zesty, lemon-fresh Loire Valley sauvignon blanc – choose a sancerre, pouilly-fumé or an inexpensive sauvignon blanc from Touraine.

Buy ingredients online

Recipe By:

Kay Plunkett-Hogge

Published: 20 Sep 19
Updated: 18 Jun 24

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Barbara Charlesworth says:

26th Nov 2022 at 2:59 pm

I am going to adapt this using the tip about the mango shell for serving the cocktail, but I will try removing all of the mango flesh, chopping it and combining it with some chopped avocado before mixing in the prawns and other ingredients. I will probably put a small pile of iceberg in the mango shell before adding my prawn mixture. I’ll substitute the lemon juice for lime juice and add some chopped coriander

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10 Traditional British Appetizers - Insanely Good says:

15th Sep 2021 at 3:35 pm

[…] 5. Classic Prawn Cocktail […]

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