Tuna & Prawn Cocktails
Introduction
Serves: 6
Ingredients
2 Tbsp finely chopped shallot
1 small clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp freshly grated, peeled ginger
3 medium vine tomatoes, finely diced, cored and drained
Flaky sea salt
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
½ Tbsp lemon juice
Few drops Tabasco sauce
1 Tbsp tomato ketchup
Freshly ground black pepper
24 or more (about 800g / 1 lb 7 oz) large prawns
1 tsp chopped parsley
4 large iceberg lettuce leaves, plus extra for dishes
200g (7 oz) fresh tuna, diced
Method
1 Heat olive oil in a small saucepan, add shallot, garlic and ginger. Soften gently for 3-4 minutes then add tomatoes and salt to taste. Cook gently for 4-5 minutes, until pulpy, but don’t let sauce dry out. Cool.
2 In a bowl mix mayonnaise, lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, ketchup and a little salt and black pepper. Both these sauces can be prepared ahead; cover and chill but bring to room temperature before serving.
3 Steam prawns for 2-3 minutes, until white and firm (or poach gently in simmering water). Cool for a few minutes. Set aside 6 of the smallest prawns for garnishing. Twist heads off the rest and peel. Chop prawns into 3-4 pieces. Transfer to a bowl and toss with mayonnaise sauce. Add the whole prawns to the bowl that had the mayonnaise in it. Add parsley and season with salt and pepper. Toss gently.
4 Shred 4 large lettuce leaves and add to chopped prawns, but don’t mix in (the lettuce softens very quickly, and it is better to have the crunch).
5 Line small plates or dishes with lettuce leaves. Toss prawns and shredded lettuce together and spoon onto plates or into dishes. Toss tuna with tomato sauce and spoon on top of prawns. Garnish with whole prawns and serve immediately.
Recipe notes
Read all ab out prawns here Prawns
The prawns are best served about 10 minutes after cooking, while they are soft, and before they become cold and rigid, but that is most likely to be inconvenient! If you steam and peel them ahead, keep them refrigerated, but bring to room temperature before serving.
It may also be too much off a fiddle for your guests to have to shell a whole prawn, and you may prefer to shell them all, as I did in the photograph.