Classic Prawn Cocktail
Simple, stylish, and irresistibly refreshing.
Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 2 hours chilling)
Cook Time: 5–8 minutes
Serves: 6–8 as a starter
Ingredients:
For the Prawns:
- 600–800g raw peeled prawns (medium to large)
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp fish spice
- 1 tsp lemon pepper
- Juice of ½ lemon
For the Cocktail Sauce:
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp chilli sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar (adjust to taste)
- 3–6 drops Tabasco sauce
- Juice of ½ lemon
To Serve:
- Finely shredded iceberg lettuce
- Lemon slices
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Butter lettuce cups (optional)
- Toasted brioche rounds or melba toast
How To Make Classic Prawn Cocktail
- Cook the Prawns
- In a large pan, melt butter over medium heat.
- Add prawns, season with fish spice and lemon pepper, and cook 3–5 minutes until just pink and firm.
- Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice. Avoid overcooking — prawns should remain tender.
- Prepare the Cocktail Sauce
- Whisk together tomato sauce, mayonnaise, chilli sauce, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, Tabasco, and lemon juice.
- Taste and adjust — it should be creamy, tangy, and slightly spicy.
- Combine & Chill
- Allow cooked prawns to cool slightly.
- Gently fold prawns into the sauce.
- Cover and chill for at least 2 hours to allow the flavours to meld.
- Serve in butter lettuce cups for elegant canapés.
- Add toasted brioche rounds or melba toast for crunch.