The classic Prawn cocktail, the starter every one knows.

A prawn cocktail the sort of starter that has stood the test of time and has been reborn so many times.  When I first started to work, in catering, it was consider a bit of a joke or old hat but it never went away and then it was reborn and made retort.  Weather you love it or hate it you will know it and if you are like me secretly you love it, but we cannot say that, or can we.  Yes, I love the prawn cocktail and if it is well made I like black forest gateaux and a good steak.  There I have said it and I mean it not as a tong in cheek, trying to be cleaver, nostalgic way but because they are really good flavour combinations.  And if you use good ingredients and do it well then why not praise them.

275g/10oz mayonnaise

2 small garlic cloves

2 tbsp limejuice

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Dash of Tabasco

1 red pepper

salt and freshly ground black pepper

900g/2lb mixed cooked prawns

1 iceberg lettuce

1 cucumber

1 apple 

10 spring onions

small handful fresh coriander leaves

dash of lime or lemon juice

1 lime

Cayenne pepper to sprinkle on top.

To make my dressing first you need to roast your pepper until the skin goes black.  Then put it in a bowl and cover it, this will help when you remove the skin .  Once your pepper has cooled down remove all the skin and the pips . Any liquid from the pepper keep along with the flesh in a bowl.

Take the garlic and crush it and add that to the pepper, along with the limejuice Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco.  Now spoon the mayonnaise on top and using a food processor or hand blender Blitz it all together so you have a light pink sauce. Season with salt and pepper and taste. If you like a little more kick add some more Tabasco.

Now I like iceberg lettuce in fact I really think it lends its self to this but you can use any firm lettuce that you want. Slice and dice your apple and add a little lime or lemon juice to stop it from going brown.  Then peal and deseed the cucumber and dice that in to the same sized pieces as the apple.  Now chop up your spring onions and add a good amount of chopped coriander leaves.  Now toss all the salad things together in a bowl and spoon in to a glass or bowl.

Now as to the prawns, I will leave that up to you but I like to use a mixture of big and little prawns all shell off.  Arrange them small prawns in the middle and two or three large ones to go around the edge.

Now spoon some of the sauce over the top of the prawns, then sprinkle a little cayenne pepper over that, and garnish with a slice of fresh lime.

It is not difficult but it is tasty and that is why you still see it on menus today.