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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