Cajun-style prawn cocktail

SERVES 4 as a starter PREP 25 mins plus resting COOK 10 mins EASY

225g frozen raw peeled king

prawns, defrosted

100ml buttermilk (if you can’t ind buttermilk, mix the same amount of yogurt with the juice of lemon) iceberg lettuce, shredded

1 ripe avocado, stoned, halved,

peeled and thinly sliced crosswise vegetable oil, for frying

inely chopped chives, to garnish

For the Cajun seasoning

3 tbsp smoked paprika tbsp ground black pepper tbsp ground white pepper 1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp onion powder

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried thyme

1 2 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste) For the sauce

4 tbsp mayonnaise 4 tbsp tomato ketchup

3 tsp capers, drained and

inely chopped

30g gherkins, inely chopped For the coating

100g plain lour

100g ine cornmeal or polenta 2 tsp baking powder

1 First, combine all the ingredients for the Cajun seasoning. Mix the prawns with the buttermilk and 3 tbsp of the Cajun seasoning in a large bowl, then set aside.

2 To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Season and set aside. Combine all the ingredients for the coating in a separate bowl with the remaining Cajun seasoning and a pinch of salt, then set aside.

3 Take one prawn at a time, gently shake o any excess buttermilk mixture, then dip into the coating using a fork, turning to ensure it is fully covered before transferring to a plate. Leave to rest for 15 mins. 4 Fill each glass almost to the top with lettuce, then spoon 2 tbsp of the sauce into each. Divide the avocado slices between four martini glasses, arranging them in a fan against the rim of each glass, so the tops are sticking up over the rims.

5 Heat a 10cm depth of oil in a shallow saucepan or deep-fat fryer until it reaches 180C, or when a cube of bread dropped into the oil browns within 20 seconds. Fry the coated prawns in batches of 10 for 4-5 mins per batch until golden and crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper using a slotted spoon and leave to drain. Repeat until all the prawns are cooked, then season with salt and divide between the glasses. Sprinkle over the chives.

GOOD TO KNOW ibre • iron • 1 of 5-a-day

PER SERVING 648 kcals • fat 42g • saturates 4g • carbs 47g • sugars 7g • ibre 8g • protein 16g • salt 2g