Debbie's Prawn Cocktail — Rose Marie Dressing, Rochdale

There are dishes that never really went away, regardless of what anyone said about them. Prawn cocktail is one of them. It disappeared from restaurant menus for a while — declared naff sometime in the eighties, rehabilitated sometime in the nineties, quietly present throughout — and it never once disappeared from Debbie's kitchen in Rochdale.

This is her version. King prawns over shredded iceberg, cucumber and tomato, in a proper Rose Marie dressing made the way it should be made: salad cream, ketchup, a splash of vinegar, a squeeze of lemon. Served in a coupe glass because presentation matters, even in Rochdale.

The Prawn Cocktail Recipe — King Prawns or Cold Water?

The classic British prawn cocktail is made with cold water prawns — small, sweet, pale pink, the kind that come in a supermarket packet and taste exactly as they should. Debbie uses king prawns, which is the upgrade. Bigger, meatier, more substantial — they fill the glass properly and give you something to get your fork into.

Either works. Cold water prawns for the true retro version; king prawns for something more generous.

Rose Marie — The Prawn Cocktail Dressing

Marie Rose is the version most people know — mayonnaise, ketchup, a little lemon. Rose Marie is Debbie's version, and it's built on salad cream rather than mayonnaise. Salad cream is sharper, lighter, and considerably more northern. With the ketchup, vinegar and lemon juice it produces a dressing that's tangy rather than rich — which, with cold prawns and crisp salad, is exactly what you want.

The Assembly

Shredded iceberg in the base of the glass. Cucumber and tomato through it. Prawns on top, dressed generously. Lemon wedge on the rim. That's it. No elaboration required.

Ingredients — Serves 2

Salad base

• ¼ iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
• ½ cucumber, diced
• 2 tomatoes, diced

Prawns

• 200g king prawns, cooked and peeled

Rose Marie dressing

• 3 tbsp salad cream
• 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• Pinch of salt and black pepper

To serve

• 2 lemon wedges

Method

Dressing:
Mix the salad cream, ketchup, vinegar and lemon juice together until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust — more ketchup for sweetness, more vinegar for sharpness.

Salad base:
Shred the iceberg finely and divide between two coupe or wine glasses. Add the diced cucumber and tomato and toss lightly.

Assemble:
Spoon the dressing over the prawns and toss until well coated. Pile onto the salad base. Finish with a lemon wedge on the rim of the glass.

This prawn cocktail recipe is featured in my From the Family Kitchen hub, a collection of family recipes from Rochdale, Gran Alacant and beyond, and in the Shellfish section of my Fish & Seafood Recipes hub.
Find more recipes and food adventures here.
Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef