This is the starter Sheila prepared for our first out of lockdown shared meal with Cathy and Nigel.
As Thomson’s Miners comments: “think of this starter as half Prawn Cocktail, half bloody Mary.”
A perfect starter for a perfect meal, for a perfect evening.
Ingredients
500ml (18fl oz) tomato juice
2 heaped tbsp tomato ketchup
Juice of 2 oranges, freshly squeezed
Juice of 3 limes
1-2tbsp grenadine
3tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1tbsp Tabasco
2tbsp tequila
Sea salt and black pepper
300g (10½oz) fresh scallops, diced
½ a cucumber
½ an avocado
300g (10½oz) cooked prawns
8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
A small handful of coriander, chopped
3 spring onions, finely chopped
½ a habanero chilli, deseeded and finely diced (try online, or use a hot red chilli, from supermarkets), optional
1 baby gem lettuce, shredded
Mix the tomato juice, ketchup, orange juice, lime juice, grenadine, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and tequila in a jug and season, then taste.
You are looking for a nice balance of fire to pep you up, saltiness, a refreshing citrus kick from the orange and lime, and sweetness. Stir in the scallops and chill for at least an hour so the citrus can start ‘cooking’ the scallops.
Cut the cucumber in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds and discard them. Finely dice the flesh into 5mm cubes and do the same with the avocado.
Mix with the prawns, tomatoes, coriander, spring onions and chilli, if using. When the scallops have been in the sauce for at least 1 hour, add this cucumber mixture to make the coctel.
Put a layer of lettuce in 6 glasses and spoon over the coctel.
We served it with thinly sliced wholemeal seeded bread. You do need it to mop up the delicious sauce.
Original recipe Thomasina Miners Mexican food
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