No Christmas menu is complete without fresh seafood to start. This year, whip up a colourful prawn and asparagus salad with a creamy coconut dressing.

Serves: 6

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

500g prawns, peeled (or buy ready-cooked prawns)

Squeeze of lemon juice

1 bunch green asparagus, trimmed

1 can white asparagus, drained

Handful of raspberries, strawberries or gooseberries

2 cups rocket

¼ cup coconut shavings (or 2 tbs desiccated coconut), toasted

Coconut dressing

90ml coconut milk

3 tsp lime or lemon juice

½ tsp fish sauce

1 tbs brown sugar

1½ tbs sunflower oil

1 tbs fresh coriander, chopped

1) Steam the prawns, then set aside to cool. Drizzle with a little lemon juice.

2) Steam the green asparagus for 2-3 minutes until it is just tender, then drain and submerge in ice-cold water for a few minutes to retain the colour. Drain well and set aside to cool completely.

3) To make the dressing, mix all the ingredients together well with a hand blender.

4) To serve, arrange the green and white asparagus on a platter, then top with the prawns, berries and rocket. Drizzle with the coconut dressing and sprinkle with the toasted coconut shavings.

Christmas menu

Starters

Prawn & asparagus salad with coconut dressing
Chicken liver paté with sweet & sour grapes

Mains

Rolled turkey breast with apricots and cashews
Ricotta & herb roast chicken with fig glaze
Festive side dishes

Desserts

Apple & marzipan strudel
Chocolate-cherry ice cream bombe