Champagne Charlies & Prawn Cocktail

This was the first time either of us had eaten prawn cocktail. It was really nice. Even if I say so myself. The cocktails were extremely tasty, too.

I got the recipe from the February 2011 edition of Sainsbury's Magazine. It was from a feature called 'Food For Love' with recipes by the owner of Hawksmoor, Will Beckett.

Champagne Charlie

Makes 4 (2 per person)

Must Have:

1/4 vanilla pod

40g pink rhubarb, chopped

50g caster sugar

50 ml orange juice

5tbsp gin

5tbsp lemon juice

chilled champagne

Must Do:

To make a rhubarb syrup, split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds into a small pan. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to the boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes until syrupy. Let cool, strain, chill.

To make the cocktails, combine gin, lemon juice and rhubarb syrup, then divide half of that mix between two champagne glasses, Top up with champagne. Drink. Repeat.

Prawn Cocktail

Serves 2

Must Have:

5 tbsp mayonnaise

2 tbsp ketchup

1 tsp creamed horseradish sauce

squeeze of lemon juice

dash of Tabasco

dash of brandy

125g peeled cooked king prawns

125g peeled cooked small prawns

1/4 cucumber, chopped

1 spring onion, chopped

salt

pepper

2-4 Little Gem lettuce leaves

2 lemon wedges

Must Do:

To make the sauce, combine mayo, ketchup, horseradish sauce, lemon juice, Tabasco and brandy in a mixing bowl. Add prawns (leave four large ones for garnish), cucumber and  spring onion, cover in the sauce and season with salt and pepper.

Arrange the lettuce leaves in your serving vessels and top with prawn cocktail mixture. Garnish with two prawns each and the lemon wedges.