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Original poster

Prawn cocktail for 20! HELP…

40 replies

Dumbledormer · 18/12/2023 21:12

I’ve been a knob. Going to MIL’s for Christmas Day, should be good fun, lots of the in-laws going. I asked MIL a couple of weeks ago what we could bring thinking she’d say Prosecco or the cheeseboard. She’s asked if we can do the starter for 20 people and it has to be cold because obvs the ovens are being used for the main. I’ve spent two weeks panicking and settled on a prawn cocktail because I’ve seen them eating it before and it’s cold.

I’m trying to keep a lid on my stress as DH who is usually very hands on and helpful is dealing with a crisis at work and is basically not going to around until Christmas Eve. Helpfully my car has also decided now is the time for complete engine failure and is being looked after in the garage to (maybe) be released on Friday. So now I’m thinking fuuuck, I’ve got to shop and buy 20 million prawns with a two year old and a baby in a pram within walking distance of my house.

WHY OH WHY did I offer? My two SIL’s who are actually smart have said they won’t have time to prep any food and will just bring alcohol. I’ve been cursing them all day!

So, please help. I need tried and tested recipes, general words of encouragement and reassurance that the toddler will be a helpful sous chef rather than a fucking liability.

OP posts:
forgivingfiggy · 18/12/2023 21:15

Can you make a seafood platter rather than prawn cocktail. Prawns, some
Hot smoked trout, smoked salmon, maybe a dollop of fish pate from M&S. Onto a slate board. Some nice bread. Wedges of lemon.

mamaduckbone · 18/12/2023 21:15

Smoked salmon blinis - much easier and more importantly cheaper! Prawns for 20 will cost a fortune

tdino · 18/12/2023 21:16

Iceland? Bags of frozen prawns, ready made sauce. Get some naice bread, avacado if you dare play the are you ripe game. Diced cherry tomatoes. Black pepper.

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TigerOnTour · 18/12/2023 21:17

It's not such a bad thing. Buy marie rose sauce well in advance, a few iceberg lettuces and a tonne of prawns. Then assemble the starter once you are there. What are you putting it in? Wine glasses? Also be sure to farm out your children to the sisters in law while you are assembling it all.

MerryCheesemas · 18/12/2023 21:18

Good luck sourcing that many prawns at this time of year!
I’m doing melon with palma ham this year, one year when we had 10 to feed I did cauliflower soup with truffle oil. Was super easy to make and went down a storm! Either of those would be easier than prawn cocktails for 20.

HamAndEggAndChips · 18/12/2023 21:19

Second the smoked salmon blini suggestion, much easier! Or Parma ham and melon, which you could completely prep at home.

Vinvertebrate · 18/12/2023 21:21

I’d be tempted to just buy 20 of those salmon mousse individual starters from M&S and whack it on a plate with a bit of salad and bread…

bevelino · 18/12/2023 21:22

Save your stress and get to M&S, it’s time to cheat.

Candycurrantbun · 18/12/2023 21:22

Buy a few bags of frozen prawns and ready made seafood sauce. A couple of iceburg lettuces and a couple of cucumbers. You don't really need much in a prawn cocktail.

It's just a matter of assembling when you get there.

wafflingworrier · 18/12/2023 21:26

Melon is also a pain to prep,
posh pate may be quicker plus Riveta style crackers, Every plate gets 2 crackers, one slice of pate that they can spread themselves plus 3 cherry tomatoes, maybe a dollop pf chutney if u can be bothered.

wafflingworrier · 18/12/2023 21:27

U could also invest in disposable plates if it helps

winewolfhowls · 18/12/2023 21:34

Jeez what's with the prawn threads everywhere?!

Are Iceland PR posing as mumsnetters in order to flog a few more prawn rings against a rising tide of veganism?

NancyJoan · 18/12/2023 21:36

Few bags of frozen prawns, bottle of sauce, couple of lettuces. Maybe a loaf brown bread, if you want that with it. Send your partner on their way home from work.

Doingthework · 18/12/2023 21:38

My cheat prawn cocktail is Sainsbury’s ready made prawn cocktail as it has a high sauce to (Atlantic) prawn ratio. I then mix this with a large bag of defrosted king prawns the mix of prawns looks good. I have bulked this out with Vici premium seafood sticks from Costco but I’d only recommended this brand. Serve 80’s style in a glass on finely shredded lettuce. Add singular air fried pre bought tempura prawn if you can be bothered.

DilemmaDelilah · 18/12/2023 21:42

Whatever you decide to do... Why not get your shopping delivered (if you can?)? Saves having to take your toddler and baby shopping.....

Mumaway · 18/12/2023 21:44

Prawn cocktail for 18 for me. I have bought a mix of standard and king prawns, 2 jars of M&S posh Marie rose sauce, which I will water down a bit with natural yoghurt and lemon juice, then plate up on some little gem lettuce leaves with a few slices of avocado. Sprinkle of paprika, slice of lemon, done

43ontherocksporfavor · 18/12/2023 21:47

Easiest starter ever but prawns aren’t cheap. Call it a seafood cocktail and pad it out with shredded crab sticks ( used to be a fave deli sandwich filling ) and lots of iceberg lettuce underneath.

TheSpottedZebra · 18/12/2023 21:48

Oh god, just do pâté. A fishy one if needed. Make it in one big bowl, then decant into a few bowls for the table. Make it in advance.

Just the individual dishes for the prawn cocktails would be a nightmare, let alone the purchasing of the prawns.

43ontherocksporfavor · 18/12/2023 21:50

Good call on pate. Whizz up smoked mackerel fillets with cream cheese(Philly type) and lemon juice. Serve with crisp bread type things or oat cakes.

dontgobaconmyheart · 18/12/2023 21:51

I'm usually an M&S starters type of person but will say that the most compliments I've ever had on a prawn cocktail was last year when I did it at the last minute for 10 people after them all declaring they really fancied it actually, out of the blue - was originally supposed to be just two of them eating that.

I bought two bags of frozen prawns, nothing fancy, defrosted and mixed with hellmans mayo and ketchup as a 'marie rose' sauce, squeeze of a lemon, some black pepper, shredded a load of iceberg lettuce and served the prawn cocktail on a bed of it in various glasses, a couple of slithers of avocado arranged artfully (poked in), but more black pepper cracked on top, a lemon slice on the glass and done. I did also serve with a fresh sliced loaf and butter for the table in case that was anyone's preference. It really took no time and was no effort and I say that as someone who's chronically ill so rarely cooks en masse.

Flamesatmytoes · 18/12/2023 21:51

It’s a prawn cocktail.

  • You buy lettuce, iceberg
  • lemons
  • seafood sauce - I assume homemade isn’t needed here, but mayo and ketchup and a splash of horseradish, or a pre-made jar of sauce that you add a bit more mayo and ketchup to
  • prawns.

Giant, head on prawns x 20 if you want to wow

fine slice lettuce, dress with a bit of lemon

mix prawns and sauce - squeeze on lemon

long slice lemon as garnish

arrange in a study wine glass/small bowl.

sprinkle with paprika

Easy

You can bung this together with a flourish between melt downs!

Moonshine86 · 18/12/2023 21:52

Costco large tub of prawns.

HollyJollyKissmass · 18/12/2023 21:54

As starters go it’s really fairly simple.
I would take the prawn cocktail mix in one big tub and shred the salad and plate up when there- that way the others can help!

verrymerryberry · 18/12/2023 22:41

I've stopped doing started and do more of a canapé

Sliced bread use French stick or rye in small diameter loaf 1cm slices

Crème fraiche with lemon and black pepper

Half a teaspoon on each slice

Top half with prawns and half with smoked salmon

Allow two per guest.

Serve on a platter