Modern Prawn Cocktail

Modern Prawn Cocktail

The legendary, if somewhat outdated, prawn cocktail generally consisted of shredded iceberg lettuce, cocktail sauce and avocado on the side and could typically be found at any cockatil party in the 1970's. Since it's humble beginnings the Prawn Cocktail is still a favourite and the recipe below is a fresh and tasty spin on a tried and true winner. Perfect for an entree as we did at our dinner party on Saturday night, or as a easy summer lunch!

Ingredients

(serves 4)
16 cooked Prawns de-veined & shelled, with tails on.
2 Avocados, cubed
5 Cherry tomatoes halved
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 teaspoons chopped Coriander
½ cup diced Spanish Onion
Salt
Pepper

Basil oil
Handful of Basil leaves
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Chilli oil
½ Red Capsicum
Tabasco Sauce (to your desired heat tolerance!)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Basil oil
Hand chop a handful of basil leaves until fine. Place in a bowl and mix with olive oil until completely covered. Alternatively, place in blender with enough oil until it turns to a sauce consistency. Place in fridge to infuse.

Chilli oil
Hand chop the capsicum until diced very small. Place capsicum in a bowl and mix in a teaspoon of Tabasco Sauce, then add olive oil until completely covered. Place in fridge to infuse. (this could also be done in a blender if desired).

Prawn/Avocado Stack
Place the halved tomatoes into the oven for 15mins on 200C. Take out and let cool.

Dice the cooked tomatoes roughly, then loosely mix the avocado, tomato, lemon juice, coriander, olive oil and onion in a bowl being careful not to mash the avocado.

Once well combined, place 3 tablspoons (more of less depending on how much avocado you want) into a biscuit cutter on the centre of a plate.

Press it down gently into the mold with the back of a fork to provide a snug fit. Pull the mold away revealing a self-standing avocado stack.

Arrange 4 prawns on top of the avocado stack.

Place the basil and chilli oils around the avocado on the plate.

Garnish with a sprig of coriander.

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Prawn Saganaki

Prawn Saganaki

This is a Greek originated dish that is both delicious and healthy and packed with flavour. I find that the many recipes out on the internet vary greatly on their authenticity and ingredients which make’s this dish easily adaptable to any level cook as you can choose to be as complicated with the techniques/ingredients or as easy as you like.

I have tried variations on both extremes and some in the middle and I have finally created my own version that seems to work everytime.

Ingredients

12 - 16 green king prawns

2 cloves garlic, peeled, diced
1 long red chilli, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped basil leaves

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt
Cracked Pepper

10 small-medium red vine tomatoes
15 small grape or roma tomatoes
Parmesan (shaved) or Fetta (Crumbled) –for serving

Lemon Juice - to taste

1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley leaves

Preheat oven 250°C (fan-forced).

(Note: You can do this step now or whilst the prawns are marinating).Place the 10 small-medium red vine tomatoes on an oven tray and sprinkle with sea salt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Place in heated oven for approx. 10 – 20mins until they begin to soften and blister. Remove from oven and set aside to cool on bench.

Begin preparing the prawns by cutting off the heads with a sharp knife. On the underside of the prawn (where legs are) use kitchen scissors to cut along from where head was removed to the beginning of the tail, then use a sharp knife along the same line you just used the scissors on, to further butterfly the prawns open. Leave prawn meat and shell intact.

Remove the digestive tract and wipe clean with paper towel. Place cut-side up onto a plate.

Press garlic and chilli over the prawn meat, drizzle with olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and season with a pinch of sea salt. Cover and marinate in the fridge for up to 1 hour.

Heat an oven-proof frying pan over high heat until hot. Add enough oil to cover the base then add prawns flesh side down.

Add the basil and cook for 2 minutes, gently pressing flat with a spatula until golden. Turn over and cook few more minutes.

Scatter both the fresh and the pre cooked tomatoes over the pan, season with salt and transfer to the oven.

Cook for 3 minutes until tomatoes just blistered.

Remove from the oven, crumble over the parmesan/feta, scatter over the parsley, drizzle with olive oil and a little lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and cracked pepper. Serve in the pan.

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