Prawn Cocktail (spicy and smoky)
A scrumptious twist on the classic Prawn Cocktail with a gorgeous creamy, spicy and smoky mayonnaise on a bed of crisp lettuce
Ingredients
- 12 large freshly cooked prawns with shell (peeled & deveined) (NOTE 1)
- ½ iceberg lettuce (thinly shredded)
- 1 ripe avocado (peeled & diced into small cubes)
FOR THE COCKTAIL DRESSING
- ¼ cup sour cream (not reduced-fat)
- ¼ cup whole egg mayonnaise (good quality and not reduced-fat) (NOTE 2)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 2 tsp horseradish cream (NOTE 3)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp tomato sauce (ketchup)
- ½ tsp smoked paprika (NOTE 4)
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 large pinch freshly ground black pepper
OPTIONAL GARNISH
- lemon wedges
- saffron chilli
- micro herbs
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients for the cocktail sauce into a small blender or food processor and blitz for 20 seconds. Have a taste, then adjust the salt and pepper to your liking or add more lemon juice for more tanginess. Transfer the dressing to a small bowl and set aside for the flavours to develop.
- Peel the prawns, but leave their tails for presentation (optional), then devein and clean them.
- Divide the lettuce evenly in 4 serving glasses or bowls, followed by the avocado, prawns, dressing and garnish (if using). Alternatively, place the dressing in a separate bowl and allow the guests to serve themselves.
Notes
(NOTE 1) Prawns - I used large fresh 'Tiger Prawns' from my fishmonger. Prepare the prawns by removing their heads, shells and devein them.
(NOTE 2) Mayonnaise - It makes such a difference when using good quality mayonnaise. I used full-fat whole-egg mayonnaise which is less sweet but more creamy and flavourful.
(NOTE 3) Horseradish cream adds depth and flavour to the dressing. Whole grain mustard, wasabi paste or dijon mustard will work in place of horseradish or omit it if preferred.
(NOTE 4) Smoked paprika - To get that beautifully smoky flavour in the cocktail dressing, make sure your smoked paprika is still good. It should have a strong smokey aroma, and if it doesn't, it's no longer good.
Make in advance - You can prepare some ingredients a day in advance to make it easier when serving guests. Peel the prawns and place them in a bowl, then cover and store them in the fridge. The dressing can be prepared 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge. However, the chopped avocado and lettuce will brown if left for a few hours, so it's best to prepare them before serving.
I've used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 184kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 9gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 630mgPotassium: 217mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 740IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 1mg