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Kimchi prawn cocktail boats

By: Pollyanna Coupland
Food producer, delicious.

Published: 11 Nov 22
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Prawn cocktail will forever be the poster child of 1970s dinner parties, but its appeal is timeless. We’ve added kimchi for tangy crunch and spruced up the dressing with sriracha and soy sauce for a very modern take on a 70s classic.

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Easy
December 2022

Test kitchen approved

Makes 10
Hands-on time 15 min

In the mood for more canapés? Discover all of ours here.

Dairy-free recipes

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 75kcals
Fat: 5.8g (1.1g saturated)
Protein: 3.1g
Carbohydrates: 2g (1.7g sugars)
Fibre: 1g
Salt: 0.4g

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Ingredients

1 baby gem lettuce
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1½ tbsp ketchup
½ tsp sriracha
½ tsp light soy sauce
½ tsp lemon juice
30g kimchi, drained
150g sustainable cooked shelled prawns
1 spring onion, finely sliced
1 avocado
Black sesame seeds to sprinkle

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Method

Slice the core end off the lettuce, then separate into leaves – choose the 10 largest and most cup-shaped, then submerge these in iced water to crisp up (see Tips) while you prepare the filling.
Put the mayonnaise, ketchup, sriracha, soy sauce and lemon juice in a bowl and mix well. Finely chop the kimchi, then stir into the sauce with the prawns and spring onion. Taste and check you’re happy with the level of seasoning.
Chop the avocado into small cubes. Drain the lettuce leaves and pat dry, then spoon the prawn mixture into each leaf. Top with some diced avocado and a sprinkle of black sesame seeds.

Recipe from December 2022 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 75kcals
Fat: 5.8g (1.1g saturated)
Protein: 3.1g
Carbohydrates: 2g (1.7g sugars)
Fibre: 1g
Salt: 0.4g

delicious. tips

Putting lettuce leaves in iced water is a neat little trick for whenever you want them to be extra crunchy. The cells in the leaf will absorb some of the water, expanding and becoming taut, resulting in a crunchier texture when bitten into. It also works well with spring onions, or any leafy veg that’s become a little wilted or soft. Using iced rather than room temperature water is important as the cold temperature ensures the cells constrict and hold onto the water after the leaves are drained.
You can make the prawn mixture up to 6 hours in advance – just give it a good stir before using as it may have separated slightly. Don’t chop the avocado until ready to serve, otherwise it’ll start to brown.