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This is a great light salad which combines succulent prawns, creamy avocado and crunchy veg, all bound in a tangy seafood sauce. This avocado and prawn salad is great for lunch, a light dinner or even as a starter (see below for variations).

What dressing does it use?

This salad uses a marie rose sauce, which is a popular seafood sauce in the UK. It is made from ketchup, mayo, citrus juice, black pepper and tabasco sauce. The result is a pretty, pale pink, sauce with a little bit of heat. Apparently, this is traditionally made with Worcestershire sauce instead of tabasco, although I like the added kick that the spicy tabasco gives.

Its use is very similar to the American cocktail sauce, which is made with horseradish and you basically use the two sauces in exactly the same way.

Can you make it in advance?

While I wouldn’t recommend making the entire salad and then using it later, you can make elements of it in advance. The lettuce cucumber, peppers and tomatoes and capers can be prepared in advance and stored well sealed in the fridge. The dressing can also be prepared in advance, however, don’t add the dressing to the salad until the moment you are going to use it.

The avocado is best prepared at the time of serving also as the flesh browns easily when exposed to the air.

Variations

You could serve this with a vinegarette dressing rather than a creamy one if preferred. This lemon and parsley gremolata also works well.

You can make this into a fairly impressive looking starter too. Simply omit the lettuce, dice the tomatoes, cucumber and pepper into small uniform pieces to serve as a bed with the capers. Then arrange the sliced avocado and prawns on top with the dressing drizzled over.

This salad also works equally as well with smoked salmon instead of the prawns.

Ingredients

You’ll need a few simple ingredients to make this avocado and prawn salad:

Salad

• Cooked prawns – I prefer tail on prawns to add extra visual appeal
• Avocado – 1/2 an avocado per person
• Cucumber – peeled into ribbons with a speed peeler
• Orange or yellow pepper (capsicum), cut into thin pieces
• Capers
• Cherry tomatoes – cut in half
• Lettuce – you can use whatever type you prefer. Chopped gem or romaine lettuce works well

Marie Rose Sauce:

• Light mayonnaise
• Ketchup
• Lime juice
• Tabasco sauce, to taste

How to make it

This salad is really simple to make.

1. First, prepare the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together well.
2. Next prepare all the salad ingredients as directed.
3. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and pour over the dressing. Toss everything together to bind and serve.

If you are looking for more great seafood salad recipes then check out this honey glazed salmon and endive salad or this seared tuna niçoise.

Products that work well for this recipe:

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