Prawn Cocktail

Name: Prawn Cocktail
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Shrimp paste 16; Iceberg lettuce ½ cup; Lemons 4 slices; Sunflower seed oil ½ cup; Egg yolks very fresh 1; Lemon juice 1 tbsp; Ketchup 2 ¾ tbsp; Brandy 1 tsp; Worcestershire sauce to taste; Tabasco® to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

it es br de fr

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 5 min
Serving: 4 persone
Cost: High

PRESENTATION

It's a classic appetizer for celebrations, originating in the 1960s in America and becoming popular in our country especially in the 1980s, so much so that it represents an iconic recipe from that period... have you guessed? We're talking about the prawn cocktail, still loved today by the most nostalgic but not only! There are many reasons: not only is it easy and quick to prepare, making it ideal for a last-minute dinner, but it's also a guarantee of success and elegance thanks to its scenic presentation. The prawns in pink sauce are typically served in refined long-stemmed cocktail glasses, and they don't look out of place even on the table for the most important occasions, like the Christmas menu. To make the cocktail sauce, simply start with homemade mayonnaise, which is flavored with ketchup, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, and a dash of brandy. For the rest, you just need to get fresh, high-quality prawns (but shrimp or large prawns will also do) to ensure a striking result... after all, if the prawn cocktail never goes out of style, there must be a reason!

Don't miss these classic appetizers for Christmas or for the New Year's Eve menu:

INGREDIENTS

Shrimp paste 16

Iceberg lettuce ½ cup (30 g)

Lemons 4 slices

for the cocktail sauce: Sunflower seed oil ½ cup (120 g); Egg yolks 1 - very fresh; Lemon juice 1 tbsp (15 g); Ketchup 2 ¾ tbsp (40 g); Brandy 1 tsp; Worcestershire sauce to taste; Tabasco® to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Prawn Cocktail

To prepare the prawn cocktail, start with the mayonnaise: place the egg yolk in a bowl, then add the lemon juice 1, salt, and pepper 2. Turn on the electric whisk and slowly pour in the vegetable oil 3.

When you have achieved a creamy consistency 4, add the ketchup 5 and Worcestershire sauce 6.

Add the brandy 7 and a few drops of Tabasco 8, then stir to combine everything 9.

Keep the cocktail sauce chilled and move on to cleaning the prawns: leave the head, shell 10, and legs intact, keeping the tail attached. Cut along the back and remove the black vein of the intestine 11. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and immerse a few prawns at a time with the help of a slotted spoon 12.

Blanch the prawns for 30 seconds, just enough time to curl them slightly, then drain them into a bowl with ice water 13. After blanching all the prawns, cut the iceberg lettuce into julienne strips 14 and get ready to plate: pour a spoonful of cocktail sauce into 4 Martini glasses 15.

Add a few strips of lettuce 16 and a lemon wedge, then place 4 prawns on the rim of each glass 17. Serve your prawn cocktail immediately or refrigerate it for 30 minutes before serving 18!