Try our version of the classic prawn cocktail with grapefruit, avocado and a creamy horseradish marie rose sauce. Delicious but easy, make this recipe for special occasions or whenever you feel like prawns with a good cocktail sauce.
Fresh prawns, tangy grapefruit and a pungent horseradish marie rose sauce is a flavour combination for everyone's palate.
Having worked in 5 star hotels for most of my career as a chef, I happily added this classic cocktail dish many times on the room service menu. Not only was it a top seller, it is great to prepare ahead and assemble in no time.
My favourite version has always been my mum's prawn cocktail. Mostly served for Christmas or New Years Eve, she mixed the prawn meat with avocado, grapefruit and a marie rose sauce, beautifully presented in the grapefruit half.
Very old school I know but hey! nothing beats a classic prawn cocktail, especially if it has all your favourite ingredients in it.
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PRAWN COCKTAIL ORIGINS
Mostly served in glasses the prawn cocktail rose to fame in the 1950's in the US. Made popular through casinos by their lavish seafood buffets, the prawn cocktail consisted simply of a spicy tomato ketchup sauce and prawns.
The UK version that followed in the 70's was made with a creamier marie rose sauce based on mayonnaise. Eventually chopped salad was added and beautifully presented in a martini glass.
INGREDIENTS
Our version of prawn cocktail is made with local fresh medium size king prawns from the Ballina region in Australia. Since this recipe is simple to make, only prawns of highest quality should be used.
For the salad, besides the prawns, you need pink grapefruit, avocado, cherry tomatoes, dill and cos lettuce. The grapefruit can be substituted with mango if you prefer.
The marie rose sauce is made with tomato ketchup, high quality mayonnaise or homemade, horseradish sauce, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, chopped white onions and chopped dill.
THE SAUCE
Cocktail sauce, or Marie rose sauce, is one of the easiest sauces to make. Simply combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. The sauce might seem thick but keep in mind the grapefruit leaves juices and will slightly thin the sauce.
There are many adaptations to marie rose, you can add brandy for depth, tabasco for a kick or crème fraiche for a more creamy texture.
This sauce goes well with many other seafood dishes too, think crab legs, smoked salmon, battered fish. You can use it as a creamy salad dressing as well.
PRAWN COCKTAIL
All components of the prawn cocktail can be prepared ahead of time. The plating up however should be left to the last moment. It will take you just a few minutes to assemble the prawn cocktail.
Prawns
You can use cooked and peeled or fresh prawns. For this recipe I cooked raw prawns in water flavoured with vegetables, herbs, spices and lemon. I prefer to peel the prawns entirely, as you don't want your guests to get their hands dirty.
You can always keep one or two with the tail still attached to use as decoration. Remove the intestinal tract (the black stringy bit) and cut off the ends from the prawns. Keep the prawns and trimmings aside for later.
Preparing the Grapefruit
Cut the grapefruit in half. Use a spoon and scoop out the flesh without breaking through the skin. Scrape any remaining pulp from the inside of the grapefruit cup and set aside.
Now use a sharp knife and cut around the grapefruit removing any white flesh (pith). Cut out the grapefruit segments for the salad and keep aside.
Cut the avocado in half and remove the seed. Scoop out the avocado and cut in cubes. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and pick the dill leaves. Wash and trim the cos heart leaves using only the smallest leaves for the prawn cocktail.
Add the marie rose dressing into a bowl and add all ingredients except the lettuce hearts and dill sprigs. Mix well.
HOW TO SERVE THE PRAWN AND GRAPEFRUIT SALAD
I'm a firm believer you eat with your eyes hence presentation is key. With this recipe, I prefer serving it just like my mother does. But If serving food in a grapefruit shell does not resonate with you, go for the Martini glass, or you can also use lettuce cups instead! It's totally up to you!
Lay the lettuce hearts around the grapefruit cup and fill the inside with the prawn cocktail dividing the prawns evenly (5 each). Garnish with the dill sprigs and serve on a plate or bowl.
In case you have any leftover prawn salad, serve it along to share! I'm sure it will be happily eaten without any hesitations! If you are looking for a more spicy prawn cocktail replace the marie rose sauce with this wasabi and avocado sauce, it has a nice kick to it.
FAQ'S
Yes you can, but stay away from frozen peeled prawns, they are tasteless and watery. Ideally you want to purchase cooked and unpeeled prawns as they keep their flavour well.
Honestly, yes marie rose is not a healthy sauce but all other ingredients are. You can substitute the sauce with a healthier avocado based dressing or try our mustard dressing recipe.
MORE SEAFOOD DISHES
Try any of these restaurant style appetizer dishes made at home:
Scallops baked with garlic and herb butter
Cold avocado and apple soup with poached prawns
Cured salmon gravelax with mustard dill sauce
Garlic roasted prawns with fregola pasta
Hamachi crudo with chilli and coriander
Otherwise, It can't get much more classic than a prawn cocktail! So, why not, Wow! your guests this festive season with this retro style classic appetiser!
We would love to know what you and your guests thought of this recipe, so leave us a comment and star rating below. Watch the story here.
Classic Prawn and Grapefruit Cocktail
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- whisk
Ingredients
for the cocktail sauce
- 4 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- 3 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon horseradish sauce
- 2 tablespoon red onion peeled and finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon dill chopped
- ½ teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- salt
for the salad
- 20 king prawns cooked
- 2 large pink grapefruits
- 1 avocado
- 12 cherry tomatoes
- 12 cos lettuce hearts
Instructions
for the cocktail sauce (marie rose)
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. Adjust seasoning with salt if needed.
for the salad
- Remove the head from the prawns and peel them making sure to remove the intestinal tract. Cut off the ends from the prawns. Keep the prawns and trimmings aside for later.
- Cut the grapefruit in half. Use a spoon and scoop out the flesh without breaking through the skin. Scrape any remaining pulp from the inside of the grapefruit cup and set aside.
- Use a sharp knife and cut around the grapefruit removing any white flesh (pith). Cut out grapefruit segments for the salad and keep aside.
- Cut the avocado in half and remove the seed. Scoop out the avocado and cut in cubes. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and pick the dill leaves. Wash and trim the cos heart leaves using only the smallest leaves for the prawn cocktail.
assembling
- Add the marie rose dressing into a bowl and add all ingredients except the lettuce hearts and dill sprigs. Mix well.
- Lay the lettuce hearts around the grapefruit cup and fill the inside with the prawn cocktail dividing the prawns evenly (5 each). Garnish with the dill sprigs and serve on a plate or bowl.
Nutrition
Renu
Eye-catching!
Shilpi & Etienne
Thank you!
Lucette
I love this recipe, classic but always delicious! Thanks to remember it.
Shilpi & Etienne
Classics are timeless☺