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Attention! Look what I found in the kitchen...
When the McCallister family (minus Kevin) are in France, Uncle Frank presents the kiddos with a fancy pants platter of shrimp and cocktail sauce. This dish is perfect dinner party fodder, and serving on a big platter with a frilly lettuce is a retro delight that's both impressive and true to the movie.
In the UK, we are used to prawn cocktails being served with a mayonnaise based 'Marie Rose' sauce, but this US version is its spicy, tangy, grown up sister. You can of course adjust the amount of horseradish and hot sauce to your taste, but this is the ideal light and zingy dish to cut through the richness of the other courses. Spot the only dish not selected by an eight year old...
You can take a big shortcut on this one, by buying prawns that have already been cleaned and cooked. But, for a juicier bite, buy raw de-veined shrimp and poach for a couple of minutes until pink. They should be served cold, so this can be done ahead of time, and refrigerated until serving.
The perfect palette cleanser for your petits-enfants.
COCKTAIL SAUCE
INGREDIENTS (serves 4)
120 ml / ½ cup tomato ketchupÂ
1 tbsp lemon juiceÂ
2 tsp worcestershire sauceÂ
1 clove garlic (minced)Â
1-1.5 tbsp horseradish (to taste)Â
A few drops of Tabasco (to taste)Â
METHOD
In a small bowl, mix together the ketchup, garlic, lemon juice and worcestershire sauce.Â
Add a tablespoon of horseradish, taste and add additional as desired.Â
If you like it nice and spicy, add in a couple of drops of Tabasco to taste.Â
Serve the cocktail sauce chilled alongside the shrimp, on a large platter.Â
Can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
TO SERVE
12 large king prawns (cooked, peeled + deveined)
1 head of lettuce
1 lemon (in wedges)
