Spot Prawn Cocktail with Easy Cocktail Sauce
December 23rd, 2022An Alaskan Upgrade to a Classic Appetizer
This simple recipe for spot prawn cocktail showcases the delicate sweetness of wild-caught spot prawns from Alaska, serving it alongside an easy, ketchup-based cocktail sauce. Spot prawns are naturally full of flavor — they’re often referred to as the lobster of Alaska — so they’ll make one of the finest versions of shrimp cocktail you’ve ever tasted. Prepare this spot prawn cocktail recipe as an indulgent appetizer when you’re hosting a gathering. Or, turn it into your new favorite snack when you’re in the mood to treat yourself.
Peeling the spot prawns is the most time-consuming aspect of this recipe. A set of kitchen shears will make peeling spot prawns much easier. Note that while classic shrimp cocktail recipes may direct you to leave the tails on for presentation, spot prawn shells are spiny, so you’ll want to remove the entire shell, tail and all.
You can reserve the spot prawn shells that you’ve peeled from the prawns to make a spot prawn stock, as they’re full of flavor. They can be preserved in the freezer until you’re ready to use them in recipes like Cajun Spot Prawns and Cheesy Grits.
Note: Spot prawns vary greatly in size as they are a wild-caught protein. Please adjust cooking times as needed and keep a close eye on your spot prawns as they poach to avoid overcooking which will produce a tough bite.
Spot Prawn Cocktail with Easy Cocktail Sauce
By Wild Alaskan Company
Prep time
15 minutes
Cook Time
3 minutes
Total time
18 minutes
Yield
4-6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 (8 oz.) packs Spot Prawns, peeled
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons salt
- Juice from ½ a lemon, plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice, divided
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 to 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
Instructions
1. Combine water, salt, and lemon in medium pot. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve salt. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath in a medium bowl.
2. Once water is boiling, remove pot from heat. Add spot prawns to the pot and ensure pieces are submerged. Allow spot prawns to poach until they begin to curl into themselves, but before they curl into tight rings, about 2 to 3 minutes depending on size of spot prawns.
3. Transfer spot prawns to ice bath and allow to chill.
4. In a small mixing bowl, stir together ketchup, about a tablespoon of horseradish, and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Taste and adjust with more horseradish and lemon juice as desired.
5. Remove spot prawns from ice bath and dry well by shaking off water in a colander or gently patting dry.
6. Arrange chilled spot prawns and cocktail sauce to serving platter. If desired, you may first layer serving platter with crushed ice. Enjoy spot prawns immediately.
Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illness, especially if you have a certain medical condition. The FDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F for cooked fish.
