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Prawn Cocktail (Shrimp Cocktail)

Ready in 15 mins

Recipe by Graham 

Since the 1970's, Prawn Cocktail (Shrimp Cocktail) has become a favourite of many people when dining out. So much so that it has become a bit "naf" (tacky, unfashionable) in recent years. Maybe that's because only the better restaurants bother to make it properly any more. Instead of a mass of fast-defrosting shrimps with a dollop of something pink on top, a true, classic Prawn Cocktail (Shrimp Cocktail) contains just a few large, quality prawns on a small bed of shredded lettuce with a little light cocktail sauce over the top. Here's how to do it properly...

NOTE: In USA you would refer to this as Shrimp Cocktail. Elsewhere there is a differentiation between shrimp (very small) and the larger prawns.

Preparation Time

15 Minutes

Ingredients for Prawn Cocktail (Shrimp Cocktail)

If you are not familiar with any ingredients, please check our International Cooking Terms page.

Currently displaying quantities in US Imperial Measurements

To serve 4:

24 large, fresh, unpeeled prawns (shrimp)
1 crisp Romaine lettuce (Cos)
  paprika
½ lemon
FOR THE SAUCE
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
  Worcestershire sauce
  Tabasco sauce
½ lemon

How to Cook Prawn Cocktail (Shrimp Cocktail)

  1. Mix together the mayonnaise and tomato ketchup and add a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce and a few dashes of Tabasco (Keep tasting the cocktail sauce as you add the Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco. You can always add some more, but you can never "un-add" it!). Squeeze the juice from the ½ lemon and mix it into the sauce.
  2. Finely shred two or three leaves of lettuce and place some in the bottom of each of four large glasses. Peel the prawns and place 5 in each glass. Pour some sauce over the top and sprinkle with a little paprika. "Hang" the remaining prawn on the side of the glass and serve with lemon wedges and slices of whole-wheat bread.
GRAHAM'S HOT TIP:
If you want to "tone down" the spiciness of the sauce, add a dash of whisky instead of the Tabasco. It will pack an extra layer of flavour to your sauce without the heat of Tabasco.