Retro-tastic Prawn Cocktail Salad

Prawn cocktail doesn't really need much introduction, does it?

Here’s a blast from the past – and incredibly simple to make, too – just chop and mix! A quick light salad perfect for a starter before Sunday dinner (or Christmas dinner!) with 'the olds', if you’re so inclined - or even a light, packed lunch to take to work!

Somewhat tenuous as a festive dish, I know, but when I got home one afternoon, I discovered someone had left the last handful of frozen prawns on the side, which were all but defrosted, so I had to use them up... what better dish, than the retro-tastic prawn cocktail salad - starter from the 80s, and still present on many a pub menu, especially Christmas ones!

Serves 2, easily halved or doubled. 152 calories per serving.


Ingredients

For the salad

• 130g cooked and peeled prawns (I used Tesco frozen, defrosted) [87]
• 100g chopped lettuce (about 12-14 baby gem leaves) [21]
• 80g diced cucumber (about 3 inches) [9]
• 90g cherry tomatoes (about 6), chopped into eighths or similar [18]
• 1 very small, crisp apple (e.g. Royal Gala, 80g) cored and diced – do this last and in toss in the lemon juice to prevent browning[38]
• 2 tsp lemon juice [2]

For the dressing

• 2 tbsp light mayonnaise (you could substitute greek yoghurt or similar, if preferred) [80]
• 1 tbsp tomato chutney (I used Tesco’s, you could substitute ketchup, or tomato puree/concentrate if you want less sweetness) [26]
• 1 tsp hot horseradish sauce (optional) [11]
• 1 tsp Worcester sauce (optional) [6]
• Tabasco sauce (or other hot chilli sauce) – a few drops to taste (optional) [1]
• 2 tsp lemon juice [2]
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar (or white/cider/sherry vinegar) [2]
• Seasoning, to taste

To serve – optional pinch of paprika sprinkled on the top / some snipped chives or cress / wedge of lemon / sprigs of dill… for a retro starter serve with brown bread and butter triangles - it's up to you whether you cut the crusts off or not, what-what!

Method

Mix all the dressing ingredients together, taste, and season further if required (remember you’re adding prawns to this, then ‘diluting’ the flavour with salad).

Rinse the prawns, pat dry and gently stir into the dressing.

Toss all of the salad ingredients together, and divide between two serving dishes. Top with the dressed prawns, and garnish with a pinch of sprinkled paprika and snipped chives or dill. Serve with a wedge of lemon (and optional buttered brown bread). 

It looks pretty served in a glass, but is pretty difficult to eat – much easier all tossed in a bowl (or lunchbox!), and the perfect amount of dressing…if you're taking it to work with you, it's best to keep the dressing seperate from the salad ingredients, and mix just before eating it.