A richer, modern version of pil pil with sweetness from coconut, crunch from almonds, and fresh lime to finish.
Ingredients
For the prawns
- 250g raw king prawns, peeled and deveined
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
- 2 tbsp desiccated coconut, toasted
- Zest of 1 lime
- Juice of ½ lime
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 2 tbsp nibbed/flaked almonds, toasted
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Optional: pinch chilli flakes
For the crostini
- 4–6 slices baguette
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
Traditional prawn cocktail
- 250g raw king prawns, peeled
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- Few peppercorns
- Pinch salt
Marie Rose sauce
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp brandy (optional)
- Dash Tabasco
- Black pepper
Salad & garnish
- Baby gem lettuce, finely shredded
- ½ cucumber, diced small
- 6 cherry tomatoes, finely diced
- Small handful dill
- Small handful chives, finely chopped
- Lemon segments
- Salmon roe or trout roe (optional)
- Brown bread crisps or melba toast
Method
1. Prepare the crostini
- Brush the baguette slices with olive oil and season lightly with salt.
- Toast in a hot pan or oven at 200°C until golden and crisp. Set aside.
2. Toast the toppings
- In a dry pan, toast the coconut until lightly golden. Remove.
- Toast the almonds for 1–2 minutes until nutty and crisp. Set aside.
3. Cook the prawns
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat.
- Add the fennel seeds and garlic and cook gently for 1–2 minutes until fragrant but not coloured.
- Stir in the smoked paprika (and chilli flakes if using).
- Add the prawns and cook for 1–2 minutes per side until just pink and cooked through.
- Finish with the lime zest, lime juice, toasted coconut, dill and almonds. Season well.
For the prawn cocktail
1. Poach the prawns
- Bring a small pot of water to a gentle simmer with lemon, bay leaf, peppercorns and salt.
- Add the prawns and cook for 2–3 minutes until just cooked.
- Transfer immediately to ice water to stop cooking. Pat dry.
2. Make the sauce
- Mix all sauce ingredients together and chill.
- Keep a little plain mayo aside for plating dots if you want a more restaurant finish.
3. Dress the prawns
- Reserve a few whole prawns for garnish.
- Lightly coat the remaining prawns in some of the Marie Rose sauce — don't drown them.
