Avocado And Spicy Prawns ©

 

 

 

 

It is at about this time of year, that I start to think about my Christmas Menu. Here is an idea for Christmas or New Year!

This makes a delicious starter for a special occasion! Quick to prepare and easy to make!

As you know I write this blog for my children and for all those learning how to cook. My children are now getting ever more  accomplished, this was their creation this Christmas! I also know, some of you good cooks out there, enjoy to be given a few more ideas as to what to cook on a daily basis, so happy cooking!

 

 

Easy

 

 

Prep time: 1/2 hour

 

 

6  Persons

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

3 whole ripe avocados

1 extra lemon juice for pouring over the cut surfaces of your avocado

1 ripe avocados for making the avocado cubes

200 g “shelled” prawns, fresh or frozen : frozen need to be defrosted in fridge 24 hours before, or plunged into boiling water for 2 minutes.

fine zest of 1-2 limes

juice of 1-2 fresh limes

a few drops of Tabasco

3 tbs of coriander leaves washed and dried

1 cucumber peeled and very finely cubed, (see photos)

salt and pepper

 

Dressing

1 heaped tsp Dijon mustard

2 red chillies, seeds removed and finely sliced

1/2 tsp salt

freshly ground pepper,

1 lime juice

3-4 tbs olive oil

Garnish

Two different coloured lettuce

Coriander leaves and finely chopped chilly, seeds removed, a little freshly ground pepper and a few grates of lime zest.

 

Method :

1. Choose your avocados carefully. If they are hard they will take 3-4 days to ripen. If they are just soft, a day, but always remember until you know how to gage the ripening, have an alternative idea up your sleeve. I usually buy an extra one also, because sometimes when one cuts them open they are black inside!

2. Assemble all your ingredients first. Wash and dry lettuce leaves. Note: Once you cut open an avocado, you need to pour lemon/lime juice over the surface, or it begins to discolour. For this reason I leave the cutting open of the avocados to be filled, to 15-20 mins before serving.

3. Place prawns, either fresh and peeled, or defrosted and ready peeled, in bowl and drizzle over your made up dressing. Add deseeded  chilies, finely sliced, washed whole coriander leaves, lime zest and season. Taste and add more lime juice or salt if needed. Place back in the refrigerator  covered with cling film until ready to use.

4. Peel and finely cube cucumber to matchstick head size pieces. This is best done by cutting your cucumber in half lengthwise, then slicing longways and then across. See photo. Add a little salt and reserve in bowl in fridge. Pour away liquid, before mixing with the rest of your ingredients. (You don’t want watery cucumber juice!

5. Out of your four avocados, use one to make the cubes. Peel, cube, place in bowl and drizzle with lime and a little salt. Cover with clingfilm and reserve in refrigerator.

6. 15-20 minutes before serving, cut open your three avocados to fill. Place point of knife into stone, so as to be able to remove it. Pour lemon over surface to stop  it discolouring. Mix together avocado and prawn mixture, add cucumber, toss very lightly using two folks and fill avocados.

7. Place lettuce leaves on individual serving plates. On top place filled avocados. Garnish with a grating of lime zest, a coriander leaf or two, a little freshly ground black pepper and a little sliced chilli.

 

Important : Please note carefully, shell fish start decomposing the minute they come out of the sea! The decomposition is delayed by freezing. This means all shell fish should be eaten as soon as possible, or kept on ice and eaten with in 24 hours. If frozen, they should be de-frosted in the fridge overnight and then eaten. Most shelled prawns have been already cooked before freezing, so if you have forgotten to defrost them you can plunge them into boiling water for two-three minutes. If you cook them more they shrink and go hard.

Never buy and leave them in your car or on the kitchen top and forget about them. When unsure smell them before cooking, they should smell fresh and of the sea. Never risk it if you are unsure!

http://www.helpwithcooking.com/seafood-shellfish/how-to-cook-shrimp-prawn.html

 

 

 

 

This is what you are aiming for.

 

 

1.Gather all your ingredients together.

 

 

2.Drain prawns in sieve.

 

3.Place in bowl. Make up dressing.

 

4.Drizzle dressing over prawns.

 

5. Add whole coriander leaves.

 

6. Add a few drops of Tabasco.

 

7.Toss lightly using a fork. Cover and reserve in refrigerator.

 

Making Cucumber mini cubes.

 

 

 

8.Using one of your avocados, peel, remove stone and cube.

 

 

9.Drizzle with lime or lemon salt and pepper and cover. Leave in fridge until needed.

10. 20 minutes before eating cut avocados in half.

 

11. Press point of knife into stone to remove. Pour lemon juice over cut surfaces.

 

12. Arrange lettuce leaves on individual serving plates.

 

13. Add avocado cubes and cucumber to prawns. Toss lightly with two forks. Check again for seasoning and salt or lime. Fill the avocados.

 

14. Arrange on serving plate.

 

15. Add a grating of lime zest, chopped chilli to garnish.

 

Just delicious!