It doesn't get much more classic than a prawn cocktail! This one can be assembled up to 3hr ahead making it the perfect Christmas Day starter.
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For the melba toast
- 4 medium slices sandwich bread, we used seeded
For the prawn cocktail
- 150 g mayonnaise
- 100 g tomato ketchup
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. horseradish sauce
- Finely grated zest 1 lemon and juice 1/2, keep separate
- Few dashes Tabasco, to taste
- 200 g cooked and peeled cold water prawns, defrosted if frozen
- 200 g iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
- 330 g pack cooked beetroot (in natural juice)
To serve
- 150 g cooked and peeled king prawns
- Few pinches cayenne pepper or paprika (optional)
- Lemon wedges
- Step 1For the melba toast, preheat grill to medium and arrange the bread on a baking sheet. Toast under the grill until golden on both sides. When cool enough to handle, use a serrated knife to remove the crusts, then slice each toast horizontally through its centre, creating 2 thin sheets. Next slice each sheet in 1/2 diagonally. Return the triangles to the baking sheet, untoasted side-up, and grill until golden. Set aside to cool.
- Step 2For the prawn cocktail, in a medium bowl mix the mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish sauce, lemon zest and Tabasco, to taste. Using kitchen paper, thoroughly pat the prawns dry, then gently stir into the sauce; check seasoning. In a separate bowl toss the shredded lettuce with the lemon juice.
- Step 3Drain the beetroot, pat dry with kitchen paper and finely chop. Divide between 8 glasses or small bowls. Spoon over 1/2 the prawn cocktail and top with the lettuce, followed by the remaining prawn cocktail.
- Step 4To serve, arrange the king prawns on top and dust with a little cayenne pepper/paprika. Serve with the melba toast and lemon wedges, for squeezing over.
Get Ahead:
Make prawn mixture up to a day ahead. Cover and chill. Make melba toast up to 3hr ahead. Set aside at room temperature. Assemble cocktail up to 3hr ahead; chill.
Per serving:
- Calories: 216
- Protein: 11g
- Total fat: 16g
- Saturates: 1g
- Carbs: 17g
- Total sugars: 9g
- Fibre: 3g
The GH Kitchen Team are Good Housekeeping’s resident recipe developers and all-round food obsessives. GH Kitchen Director Sarah Akhurst is our resident hosting pro and loves nothing more than putting on a foodie feast for friends. Our GH Kitchen Manager Linzi Pucino is our very own Italian food expert (originally hailing from the North East of Scotland!) and can be found working her way through midweek recipes that cover all bases, from haggis to ragu! Our Kitchen Editor Nadine Brown loves digging into the stories behind her favourite foods and enjoys applying her eclectic tastes to more modern, flavour-forward recipes - just don't give her too much chilli! Our Junior Food Content Produce Frankie Prichard combines a love of beautiful presentation and flavour-led, seasonal cooking in her recipe development, along with a passion for bringing people together through food. With a wealth of professional kitchen experience between them, they’re dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work every single time
