It’s been nice and warm here in Sydney. I braved the crazy Christmas crowds yesterday and managed to get the last of my shopping out of the way. I know it’s a little hard for some people to comprehend but Christmas is a hot time of the year for us! Santa delivers his presents on a surf board at Bondi Beach…it’s true I tell ya! Anyway, I’ve really been relaxing and indulging in simple meals. Grazing on a few olives with a glass of wine…that kind of thing. Nothing too indulgent considering how eating can easily get out of control at this time of the year.
I spotted some cooked prawns at the markets recently and I had a brainwave to bring the 70’s back! I really wanted to make that classic prawn cocktail. (or shrimp cocktail as our Northern American neighbours say). I remember seeing this on TV when I was younger and thought it was so “sophisticated” and “posh”. Maybe it was, back then! The internet is a minefield of recipes for this beauty. I saw everything from avocadoes to rice in my research. I wanted to “freshen” it up a little by keeping it very simple. I suppose it really isn’t the real deal and it’s more like a salad in the end but hey if you must smother it in something at least make it good quality.
If you have some nice pretty glasses lying around use those as a starting point. I had these very chic, antique cocktail glasses that I found at the flea markets. The glass is usually filled with shredded iceburg lettuce but I opted to use some baby mesclun leaves with the addition of some cos lettuce leaves. I personally believe the key to making this a success is to ensure your leaves are crisp and fresh. Wash them, dry them (a salad spinner is great for these situations) chill them in the fridge and then use them just before you serve it up. I simply draped the cleaned and deveined prawns over the side of the glass, filled it with salad leaves and dressed it in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice and freshly ground pepper. Add a wedge of lemon to the side for a real classy touch!
If you insist on making that dreaded seafood sauce (which I did for a very annoying friend) just blend a good quality aioli with a dash of tabasco, a dollop of organic ketchup and a good aqueeze of lemon juice. And pretend it’s 1975…
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I think there might be nothing more summery, Peter. I love coming here and taking a mini “summer vacation” from all the Michigan grey!
PRAWN! (Aussie madman)
SHRIMP! (Canadian lunatic)
It’s A BLOODY PRAWN!
NO, WE CALL THEM SHRIMP IN CANADA, EH!
I don’t think shrimp/prawn cocktail will ever go passe…there are many neat things being done with the classic…your photos have me wanted the shrimp for brekkie.
You should have seen the size of the prawns I saw at our local fishmongers the other day…the price was prohibitive but they were a thing of beauty and would have been excellent in the rebirth of this classic. I am Canadian EH and we buy both prawns and shrimp…prawns are a different species,so I am told, resembling a shrimp…but no one really knows for sure or differentiates. The prawns are bigger and pricier but they may just be larger shrimp!!! Wink…wink….
He, he… I still see it in Restaurants here… I think it’s a classic! It’s a perfect appetizer for both our Christmasses: the hot and the cold
. I bought some frozen prawns today also and plan to perform an Aspic… have you heard/seen one before? Real fun 
I still have things to buy! But will soon be done. I would love to see a Surfin’ Santa
All these summery dishes of yours are driving me insane. You’re really throwing me off here! It’s extremely strange to me that you celebrate a warm weather Christmas. I’m here hoping for a white Christmas (at least just on X-Mas day) and you’re sunbathing and what not!
I love prawns, shrimp whatever you’d like to call them. Those pics look gorgeous.
Good choice to forego the Iceberg lettuce…does anyone still use it? I, too, have the benefit of celebrating Christmas in warm & sunny weather. It doesn’t take anything from the holiday. Come stop by my blog…I’m posting December and the holidays in FL all month.
P.S. Great photos.
just call them garides…
…XL!
this prawn cocktail reminds of the days when gourmets used to stuff mushrooms and fill the cavity of an avocado (already overloaded with calories) with mayonnaise. like you, i feel nostalgic when i see these dishes; never having tried them myself at the height of their fashion, i’d be very tempted to have one right now…
I remember these shrimp cocktails back in the 70s but haven’t had them for years now. The price of shrimps of this size are quite prohibitive and we settle with smaller and frozen ones. Your picture is so alive, I feel like grabbing one from the screen.
This is beautiful, I love the presentation and the lemon wedge on the side….but I would be annoying and add the cocktail sauce!
Stunning Peter! Funny how I was re-visiting the 70s with my apricot and pork and now this lovely prawn cocktail (sana rose marie sauce, lol!).
Nice and simple. Just the way fresh prawns should be served!
Oh, I love shrimp (prawn) cocktail! Especially with the red sauce, but that’s my trash roots talking. This was the first “fancy” thing I ever made for a dinner party, and seeing yours brings back so many great memories. Yours is so much more elegant than anything I ever cranked out of my tiny apartment, though!
What a vintage recipe! I love salad spinners. They have changed my life…
Fab presentation in glasses that are a beautiful buy. It’s very difficult to come to terms with Christmas in summer…was amazed to see Santa in the mall with veryone dressed down for summer…lol! The pictures are beautiful, as is the simplicity of the recipe.
Is more than warm , here in Buenos Aires, actually I am melting right now,
. I watch (and love) Mad man an one of the hits of the decade was Prawn (Shrimp) cocktail. So ,I thought to myself that maybe will be a good idea for Christmas dinner ,because these classical dishes will never go out of fashion.The photo is fabulous and tempting.
You’ve definitely made this dish in vogue now, Peter. Beautiful shots, as always.
Looks great.
Really want to try it
Oooh! I wish I were warm right now! I’m eating soup and shivering under a blanket.
Nice to be transported down under for a brief moment.
But now I am ashamed to be one of those annoying people who likes the cocktail sauce…but I’m happy without it too. I just love me some prawns!
Hey peter! Aw, your comment that you haven’t seen me around for a while made me so sad!! I know I’ve been a bit absent recently – its just all the Christmas preparations I promise – I’m always still reading my favourite bloggers! I love your prawn cocktail by the way – such a classic and you have made it really mdoern and classy. I’ll make it my new years resolution to be a better blogger I promise!
Ah, Peter – I love a nice shrimp cocktail.
Love the updated look of this one — so lovely.
Lovely! Enjoy your nice weather.
When I was a kid I would order shrimp cocktail every single time we went out for dinner. I thought I was very sophisticated. Happy Christmas Peter!