Prawn cocktail is a classic Christmas starter, but according to one expert, there are some slip ups that can ruin the festive hors d'oeuvre.
While not a favourite in every home, the appetiser has resurged in popularity in recent years since its heyday in the 60s. The seafood concoction serves as the perfect light bite before tucking into a decadent turkey dinner.
But before even plating up, there are two simple ways you can ruin the Christmas starter, according to celebrity cook Adrian Martin who's also shared his secret ingredient for the best sauce.
The traditional marie rose has a tangy flavour, which, if made incorrectly, can over power and ruin the dish. Martin has said many cooks add too much vinegar which makes it acidic.
Using "cheap, rubbery" prawns instead of high quality could also mean a ruined Christmas day starter. Luckily, the Six O'clock Show personality has offered his industry insight with RSVP on how to make your prawn cocktail taste the best this Christmas.
Adrian explained: "Too much vinegar in the sauce for the prawn cocktail can overpower the whole dish. Cheap rubbery prawns are also a no go. If you can get your hands on good quality prawns it will make a huge difference.
"I am like an agony aunt when it comes to Christmas. You should see my email inbox, people tell me what they tried and got wrong and they want to know how to get it right."
For Adrian, he adds in sweet chilli sauce to take away any acidy and give it a sweet flavour. He said: "The sauce is the key to getting it right. My trick is to add some sweet chilli sauce, it adds a bit of a kick and also some sweetness."
However, the professional admitted that he hasn't served prawn cocktail at his home for quite some time. He said: "I will be very honest, prawn cocktail is not the starter of choice in our house. I made it once and everyone hated it."
Adrian also offered advice on how to make the tastiest budget friendly stuffing that will also be a time saver on the day.
"One thing people are worried about is costs and you can make your stuffing from scratch, it is so simple to do," he explained.
"You get your sliced pan, brown or white, place it into your food processor and blend it up. You can use batch bread as well, the tough texture of it can be lovely. People go out and buy breadcrumbs, but they are an unnecessary expense.
"I then chop up onion and garlic, add in two herbs, thyme and rosemary. I will sauté down the onion and garlic with some oil in a large pot. I add in the herbs then and keep it on medium heat for 30 seconds to one minute before adding in butter.
"If you are afraid of adding in too much butter, you can use vegetable stock or chicken stock instead. Melt down the butter and add the breadcrumbs and you will get a lovely stuffing."
He added: "Once everything is mixed, add some sea salt and cracked black pepper. "You can finish with some finely chopped sage, toasted pine nuts or dried apricots.
"To serve them I get pieces of tinfoil and I shape them into Christmas crackers and everyone has one on their plate for dinner then."
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