Marcus Wareing's Ultimate Prawn Cocktail with Tiger Prawns and a Crisp Chilli Garnish

Ingredients

• 6 tbspmayonnaise
• 2 tbsptomato ketchup
• a splashTabasco sauce
• a splashWorcestershire sauce
• a pinchcayenne pepper
• a pinchsmoked paprika
• to tastesalt and pepper
• 450 gcooked and peeled cold-water prawns
• ½romaine lettuce, shredded
• as neededolive oil
• 4raw large tiger prawns, peeled and deveined, with heads and tails kept on
• 1red chilli, roughly chopped; seeds removed if desired
• 1green chilli, roughly chopped; seeds removed if desired
• 2 clovesgarlic, bashed, skin on and kept whole
• a few knobsbutter, for cooking
• 2 clovesgarlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 1red chilli, finely chopped; seeds removed if desired
• 1green chilli, finely chopped; seeds removed if desired
• 1egg white
• 3 tbspsea salt
• 1 tsppaprika
• 4 slicessoda bread, spread with butter
• a pinchcayenne pepper, for sprinkling

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the sauce

   In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise and ketchup. Stir in the Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, a generous pinch each of cayenne and smoked paprika, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. 2

   Add the prawns

   Stir the cooked, peeled cold-water prawns into the sauce until coated.

3. 3

   Cook the tiger prawns

   Set a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add olive oil. When hot, add the tiger prawns, roughly chopped chillies, whole bashed garlic cloves and a few knobs of butter. Fry the prawns for 1 minute on each side. Discard the garlic and chillies, then drain the prawns on kitchen roll.

4. 4

   Fry the garnish

   Heat a separate frying pan, add a little more olive oil, then fry the finely chopped garlic and chillies until slightly burnt. Drain them on kitchen roll.

5. 5

   Prepare the lettuce

   Set aside 4 whole romaine leaves for garnish. Shred the remaining lettuce and put it in a bowl.

6. 6

   Rim the glasses

   Separate the egg white into a small bowl and whisk it lightly. Mix the sea salt and paprika in another small bowl or on a plate. Dip the rims of the glasses into the egg white, then into the salt mixture.

7. 7

   Layer the cocktails

   Spoon a little of the prawn-mayo sauce into each glass, then add shredded lettuce and the prawns in sauce. Place a whole lettuce leaf at the side of each glass and scatter the fried chilli and garlic on top.

8. 8

   Plate and serve

   Put each glass on a side plate with a tiger prawn alongside and a slice of buttered soda bread. Finish with a dusting of cayenne pepper.

What is prawn cocktail?

Prawn cocktail is a British starter of prawns served with a creamy, tangy sauce, often layered with crisp lettuce. It became a familiar restaurant and celebratory dish in Britain during the mid-20th century, drawing on a broader tradition of chilled seafood cocktails.

This version combines cold-water prawns in a ketchup-and-mayonnaise sauce with a freshly cooked tiger prawn for each glass. The hot chilli and garlic garnish, plus the seasoned rim, add sharp contrast to the cool, creamy centre.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 490 calories, 32g protein, 32g carbs, 26g fat.

Most of the carbohydrates come from the soda bread and ketchup, while the mayonnaise and butter provide much of the fat. The prawns contribute most of the protein. For a balanced plate, serve the cocktail with extra crisp salad or vegetables alongside.

Building the sauce

Sauce base: Mix the mayonnaise and ketchup thoroughly before adding the seasonings so the flavour is even throughout. Tabasco and Worcestershire bring heat and savouriness, while cayenne and smoked paprika deepen the spice.

Seasoning: Add salt and pepper gradually and taste before stirring in the prawns. The sauce should taste lively enough to stand up to the lettuce without overwhelming the sweet seafood.

Cooking the tiger prawns

Hot pan: Heat the oil over medium heat before adding the prawns, chillies, garlic and butter. The short cooking time keeps the prawns tender while giving them a little colour.

Doneness: Fry for 1 minute on each side, then take them out of the pan. Prawns are ready when opaque through the thickest part; avoid leaving them in the pan while you finish the garnish.

Making the crisp garnish

Small pieces: Finely chop the garlic and chillies so they cook quickly and can be sprinkled across the glasses. Keep a close eye on them as they fry; the method calls for a slightly burnt finish, but they can turn bitter if left too long.

Drain well: Spread the fried garnish on kitchen roll after cooking. This helps it stay crisp rather than adding excess oil to the creamy prawns.

Preparing the lettuce and glasses

Lettuce leaves: Reserve 4 whole leaves before shredding the rest. The shredded lettuce makes a crisp layer in each cocktail, while the whole leaves provide a neat garnish at the side.

Seasoned rims: Dip each glass rim in lightly whisked egg white, then the sea-salt and paprika mixture. Keep the coating on the outside edge so it seasons each mouthful without falling into the sauce.

Layering and serving

Order matters: Start with a spoonful of sauce, then add shredded lettuce and the sauced prawns. Finish with the fried chilli and garlic so the crisp garnish remains visible and textured.

To serve: Set a cooked tiger prawn beside each glass and add a slice of buttered soda bread. Serve promptly so the lettuce stays crisp and the garnish does not soften.

Recipe notes & tips

• Pat the tiger prawns dry before frying so they sear rather than release excess water.
• Taste the sauce before adding the cold-water prawns, then adjust the salt, pepper and hot sauce to suit.
• Keep the whole romaine leaves intact until you are ready to assemble the glasses.
• Fry the garnish in a separate pan so it can be drained without delaying the tiger prawns.
• Assemble the glasses close to serving time to keep the lettuce and fried garnish at their best.

Variations

• Milder sauce: Use less Tabasco and omit the cayenne in the sauce.
• Extra citrus: Add a little lemon juice to the sauce for a brighter flavour.
• Different lettuce: Use crisp iceberg lettuce in place of romaine.
• More chilli heat: Leave the seeds in the chillies for a hotter garnish.
• Bread swap: Serve with another style of buttered bread if soda bread is unavailable.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overcooking the tiger prawns: Fry for just 1 minute on each side and remove them promptly.
• Crowding the pan: Cook in batches if the prawns do not fit in a single layer.
• Burning the garnish: Watch the chopped garlic and chillies closely and remove them once slightly burnt.
• Wet garnish: Drain the fried chilli and garlic on kitchen roll before assembling.
• Soggy lettuce: Shred and layer the lettuce shortly before serving.
• Uneven glass rims: Dip only the edge of each glass in egg white, then coat it lightly in the salt mixture.

How to store

Store leftover prawn mixture and cooked tiger prawns in separate airtight containers in the fridge and use within 1 day. Keep the lettuce and fried garnish separate, and do not store assembled glasses; serve the prawns chilled rather than reheating them.

Frequently asked questions