Published at 19:20, Thursday, 17 May 2012

TIME for a retro classic this week with a really good prawn cocktail.

When it is well made, it is a great dish and it is really easy to put together. However, for those of you who fancy a bit more of a challenge, we have included a recipe for homemade mayonnaise to begin.

It is not compulsory to make your own; if you don’t fancy it then just use a good quality shop bought version.

Serves six.

For the mayonnaise

1 egg yolk

1 tblsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp English mustard

250ml vegetable oil

Whisk together the egg yolk, vinegar and mustard in a large bowl. Use an electric whisk (or a lot of elbow grease) to whisk the oil into the mixture. The important thing is to drizzle the oil in very slowly. Start with just a drop at a time.

Continue to whisk until all the oil has been absorbed and you are left with a nice thick mayonnaise.

For the salad

3 tblsp tomato ketchup

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp brandy

Splash Tabasco sauce

Pinch cayenne pepper

Juice of ½ lime

Salt and pepper

3 baby gem lettuces, finely shredded

3 spring onions, finely shredded

450g cooked, peeled cold water prawns

Add the ketchup, Worcester, brandy, Tabasco, cayenne and lime to the mayonnaise. Mix together then taste to see whether it needs any seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Divide the lettuce and spring onions between six serving glasses or plates. Top with a share of the prawns and drizzle the dressing over the top. Sprinkle with a little more cayenne pepper if you wish and serve with lemon wedges and buttered brown bread.

This dressing works well with a lot of shellfish. If you want to push the boat out, you could add some cooked lobster or substitute the lobster instead of the prawns. Crab is also good in this dish. If you fancy more heat, then you can add more Tabasco or even a little more fresh chilli.

We think avocado works great in this salad too.

Of course, these variations are moving away from the classic version but it’s just a little modernisation, which is never a bad thing.

Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk