Weds, 22nd Aug 2007

Trial run.

Stumbled upon Delia Smith's Prawn Cocktail recipe today and it transported me back to the days of the Grill Room, where almost every meal started with a Prawn Cocktail or French Onion Soup or Snails in Garlic Butter. Sweet memories - does anyone remember the Grill Room?

I sent C out to buy me the freshest prawns he could find in the market and he came back with an impressive haul. I sorted the prawns into 2 piles, the smaller ones to peel completely, devein and freeze for another day, and the larger ones for the cocktail. I threw away the heads, snipped the prawns down the middle without shelling it and removed the vein.

Rinse well, and steam for approx 4 minutes. Seems too short? Don't worry, the prawn will cook completely in the residual heat, with a crunchy just cooked prawn in the end. Too long and at best, it turns tough, and at worst, mushy.

Allow prawns to cool briefly, shell them, and put into the fridge to cool completely.
Now choose the serving ware - I chose a champagne flute, a brandy snifter and a cocktail glass, to see which makes the best presentation and put them all on my lacquer tray.

Now make the cocktail sauce which is the easiest thing you can imagine; mayonnaise, tomato sauce, tobasco sauce and a good squeeze of lemon juice. That's all - strain if the mayonnaise appears to be lumpy.
Shred some lettuce finely and dry completely and put them into the fridge to crisp. Cut lemon neatly into squeezable wedges and remove seeds.

Assemble. Line glasses with shredded lettuce, top with prawns, add lemon wedge and a whole prawn as garnish, top with cocktail sauce and a sprinkling of paprika. Pop into the fridge and serve when well chilled.
Mark and I ate all 3 portions of the prawn cocktail.

Poor Hazel with prawn allergies did not want to risk it.

I ate the serving in the champagne flute first - here it is.

And here are the other 2 in the fridge, the extra dressing is on the side - you can see how smooth and light pink it is.

And here is Mark enjoying his first experience of a Prawn Cocktail. Very 70s, isn't it?



p.s off to bed now, a bit flu-ey and sniffly, and I have 2 back to back sessions with the physiotherapist tomorrow.