Gala Prawn Salad
Photography Yuki Sato.
Those of us of a certain vintage will recall the original ‘prawn cocktail’ which started popping up in the late 60s and early 70s. The last word in sophistication, it featured lettuce, prawns and sometimes a wedge of lemon, fetchingly displayed in a martini glass. The key was the not-so-secret Marie Rose sauce, a blend of mayonnaise and tomato sauce with a touch of Worcestershire or horseradish for a little extra kick. Having taken centre-stage at many a Kiwi dinner party, over the years the dish slowly went out of fashion, apart from the odd retro resurrection. While we won’t be breaking out the cocktail glasses any time soon, this combination salad doesn’t just breathe life into the original, it is a spectacular reinvention!
Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS
6 thin slices prosciutto
1–2 cos lettuces, leaves separated
500 grams large, cooked prawns
1 cup diced cucumber
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1–2 avocados, sliced
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
Dressing
⅔ cup purchased good-quality egg mayonnaise
1 tablespoon horseradish sauce
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 tablespoon sriracha chilli sauce
sea salt
METHOD
Dressing:
Whisk all the ingredients together and season with salt.
Prosciutto:
Cook the prosciutto in a hot, lightly oiled frying pan until golden and crisp.
To Assemble:
Put the cos leaves and prosciutto on a large platter or board.
Fill with the prawns, cucumber and red onion then nestle in the avocado.
Top with the chives and drizzle with some of the dressing, serving the rest alongside.
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latest issue:
127
In Dream Escape, we journey from Japan and Morocco to Italy, India and beyond, sharing recipes inspired by travel, heritage and comfort. We celebrate the champions of the Outstanding Food Producer Awards, explore the stories and recipes of chefs shaped by their cultural roots, and warm up with everything from West African soups and slow-braised lamb to porchetta, butter chicken and beef noodle soup. Alongside destination menus, Scandinavian sweets and cosy pub classics, Chrisanne Terblanche shares her favourite street-side dining spots in Bangkok, while Yvonne Lorkin explores red wine varietals. This issue, we invite you to slow down, turn the pages and escape through food.