Prawn Cocktail

It has been a loooong time since I published my last blog.

Soon after we moved to our new home we invited my parents to come over from Japan.  They are very old; my father is 89 and my mother is 84 and neither of them understands English.

They have traveled overseas several times before including the US, but Seattle was a brand new place for them and they knew nothing about it at all.  I was therefore very busy every day acting as their interpreter, taking them to tourist attractions etc., etc.

Last night, we invited my husband's work colleague for dinner and I cooked some of my specialities including this Prawn Cocktail.

He really enjoyed the cocktail sauce and requested the recipe in English.  This is why I am updating my blog after a long break.

Ingredients for 5~6 people
30 raw prawns

(Cocktail sauce)

1 cup real mayonnaise (Japanese mayonnaise is not suitable for this dish!)

3 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons tomato paste

1.5-2 teaspoons Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
1-2 teaspoons squeezed lemon juice

few drops Tabasco

AJINOMOTO (MSG) to taste (optional)

(Other)
Paprika to garnish (optional)
Sliced baguettes

Instructions

Pull out the vein from the prawns using a toothpick and then peel leaving the tails intact.

Thread each prawn on to a toothpick to give them a nice shape.

Cook the prawns in boiling water for a few minutes, then wash under cold running water and drain well.  Pull out the toothpicks from the prawns and keep them refrigerated until serving.

To make the cocktail sauce, add all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.  Keep it refrigerated until serving.

Just before serving, lay enough ice to cover the bottom of the serving plate, then arrange the prawns on top.  Serve the prawns with the cocktail sauce garnished with some paprika, together with baguette slices.

If you would like to read this recipe in Japanese, please click HERE.

Bon appetit!