PRAWN COCKTAIL

This is a classic and for me never loses its appeal.  It's a perfect starter and so easy to make too!

INGREDIENTS
Little Gem Lettuce  / Iceberg Lettuce
Cooked Prawns

Marie Rose Sauce
4 Parts Mayonnaise
1 Part Tomato Ketchup
Tabasco

Garnish
Paprika
Lemon

METHOD
Shred the lettuce and place in the bottom of chilled glasses.  Toss the cooked prawns in the Marie Rose sauce and pile on top of the lettuce.  Dust with a little paprika.  Serve with a lemon wedge balanced on the side of the glass.  Traditionally this is also served with brown bread and butter, with the crusts removed and cut into triangles

NOTE If you use frozen prawns make sure you defrost them thoroughly and drain off any liquid before mixing with the Marie Rose sauce.

You can also use the prawn mixture to serve with melon as alternative starter, see 3 Melon Starters

3 MELON STARTERS

Here are 3 easy starters using Melon. I recommend using a Charentais Melon.  They are wonderfully sweet and fragrant with an orange flesh and pale green skin.

MELON WITH PORT
This is another recipe from my Mother-in-Law Shirley, a favourite when in the South of France where the Charentais Melon originates from

Ingredients
Charentais Melon
Port

Method

Halve the melon, remove the seeds and any flesh that comes with them and place in a sieve over a bowl.  Agitate the seeds and flesh to release any juice into the bowl.  Reserve the juice

Place the melon half into an individual serving bowl.  Mix the reserved juice with a little Port and pour into the centre of the melon.  Serve immediately

MELON WITH PARMA HAM
Ingredients
Charentais Melon
Parma Ham

Method
Halve the melon, remove the seeds and cut the melon into slices
Serve with slices of Parma Ham either on the side or wrapped around each slice of Melon

MELON WITH PRAWNS
Ingredients
Charentais Melon
Cooked Prawns
Mayonnaise
Tomato Ketchup
Tabasco
Paprika

Method
Make a Marie Rose Sauce by mixing together..

4 Tablespoons of Mayonnaise

2 Heaped Teaspoons of Tomato Ketchup

A Dash of Tabasco

Halve the melon, remove the seeds and place the melon half into an individual serving bowl. Mix cooked prawns in the Marie Rose sauce, place in the centre of the melon.  Sprinkle the prawns with a little Paprika. Serve immediately

NOTE If you use frozen prawns make sure you defrost them thoroughly and drain off any liquid before mixing with the Marie Rose sauce

You can also combine the prawns with lettuce to serve as a Prawn Cocktail