Avocado and Prawn Cocktail

Prawn cocktail was a popular starter in the 1960's and 70's. Adding avocado to it is a very South African thing but the combination of this creamy fruit and sweet juicy morsels of fruit of the sea is a marriage made in heaven. Adding chilli to the mix reflects the Mozambique influence, where prawns without chilli is a sacrilege. 

Enjoy.

Ingredients:
3-4 small gherkins, finely chopped
30ml capers, chopped
5ml tomato puree
20ml olive oil
250ml Mayonnaise
5ml chilli flakes
24 uncooked fresh or frozen prawns, drained
30ml chopped chives
6 Iceburg lettuce leaves, finely shredded
2-3 avocados, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
juice and zest of a lemon

Method:
Place the gherkins, capers, tomato purée and mayonnaise in a bowl. Mix to combine, cover with cling film and store in the fridge.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium to high heat. add the chilli flakes and prawns. Cook until the prawns have turned pink and started to brown, turning the prawns to cook on both sides. Cool slightly and toss in the chives.

Divide the lettuce between 6 serving dishes. Place a serving of the mayonnaise mixture on the lettuce and top with the prawns and avocado. Squeeze a little lemon over each serving and garnish with lemon zest. 

Cool and serve as a starter or salad.

Parsnip, Leek and Goat's Cheese Strudel

These delicious pastries are great served as a starter with cranberry sauce or chutney.

Ingredients:
1 large leek, thinly sliced
2 medium parsnips, peeled and sliced
150ml vegetable or chicken stock
4 large sheets filo pastry
olive oil for brushing on pastry
85g soft rinded goat's cheese
sesame seeds to garnish

Method:
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Put the leeks and parsnips in a large pan with the stock and bring to the boil. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes until starting to soften. Remove the lid and cook until the juices have evaporated. Tip onto a large plate to cool.
For each strudel, lightly brush half of each filo sheet with olive oil. Fold the un-brushed side over to form a smaller sheet, 2 layers thick. Brush the edges with a little more oil, then spoon a quarter of the vegetable mix along one edge. Crumble over a quarter of the cheese, fold over the pastry edges, then roll up to seal in the filling.
Put the strudels on a baking tray, brush with any remaining oil ans sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake for 25 minutes until crisp and golden.