Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Prawn and vegetable cocktail with a creamy saffron and dill dressing

This is a very light and fresh starter.  It is very important not to overcook any of the ingredients; the whole dish should maintain its crispiness.

Serves 4

PRAWN AND VEGETABLE COCKTAIL

The prawns:
400 g (14 oz) raw prawns, de-veined and shelled
(reserve shells)
2 cups/500 ml fish stock, heated
1 teaspoon/5 ml salt

The vegetables:
1 cup/250 ml carrots, cut into cubes
1 cup/250 ml cauliflower, cut into small pieces
1 small courgette, cut into 1 cm pieces
salt
1 tablespoon/15 ml butter
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
½ teaspoon saffron thread

The mayonnaise:
2 tablespoons/30 ml mayonnaise
3 drops of Tobasco sauce
1 small shallot, finely chopped

The dressing:
½ cup/125 ml fresh cream
1 pinch saffron thread
salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 tablespoon/15 ml dill sprigs

The garnish:
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and diced
½ red pepper, peeled, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon/15 ml parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon/15 ml French tarragon, finely chopped
1 tablespoon/15 ml basil, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground white pepper
mixed baby salad leaves

Bring the stock with the salt to a boil and poach the prawns with the reserved shells for 3-5 minutes in it. Remove the prawns from the stock and set aside to cool. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Strain the stock and discard the shells. Refrigerate the stock for another use.

In a saucepan, put the carrots and cover with just enough water, add salt, butter, garlic and the saffron and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute, then add the cauliflower and cook for another minute, then finally add the courgette and cook for 1 minute. Remove and drain on paper towel until ready to use. (The vegetables should still have a slight bite to them.)

Mix the mayonnaise with the Tobasco sauce and chopped shallot and set aside.

Bring the cream to the boil, then add the saffron, salt and pepper, and dill. Boil down to about half the amount, then strain, season and set aside to cool.

To serve:
Mix the tomato, pepper, herbs and salt and pepper.  Set aside.
Add the mayonnaise to the cooked vegetables and mix gently.  Set aside.
Chop the prawns roughly and mix with half the creamy dressing.
Place a pastry cutter of 7 cm diameter in the center of each serving plate. Divide the vegetables and spoon into each cutter, then repeat with the prawns on top. Scatter the tomato, pepper and herb mixture around and drizzle the cream over. Gently remove the pastry cutter. Top the cocktail with the mixed baby salad leaves and serve immediately.

STELLA's avatar

By STELLA

I have had no formal chef’s training. Classical piano was my parents’ choice, and that took care of the first 20 years of my life. Journalism and radio followed (my own choices, this time), and these opened many doors for me into different countries, people, cultures — and, of course, foods. In a six week series on radio I used it as a platform for my love of food and shared lots of interesting recipes and food news with listeners.
My earliest memories of food come from the family kitchen at home; I can still remember the wonderful smells of the dishes my mother prepared. I became aware of the flavors of her creations at an early age. Some I enjoyed and preferred, while others depressed me with their lack of interesting flavors. My mother was a good cook, but not a gourmet, and sadly this often showed. What I did appreciate was that she always involved me in the preparation, sharing her knowledge of nutrition, flavor, color, and the harmonies of each plate she dished up. She was also a genius with leftovers and quick meals when unexpected guests arrived. This is one of the things that stands out in my mind, and it inspired me to create wonderful dishes from leftover foods myself.

I carried on with the tradition of carefully planning meals to combine nutrition, color and flavor, while at the same time offering variety and elegant presentation. In the process, I developed a passion for seeking out the best available products, adhering to each season’s offerings, and treating it with the respect it deserves, which eventually became part of my daily culinary life and travels. I did these things not because I wanted to become a chef, but to satisfy myself, family and friends with creations of gorgeous food and exciting flavors. All of which, I hope, is reflected in this blog.