• We love this update of a retro South African starter! Perfect at a dinner party on a warm evening and best enjoyed outside, with a glass of sauvignon blanc to balance the dish’s richness

    Deconstructed avocado ritz

    Serves: 4
    Cooking Time: 15 – 20 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 3 garlic cloves, roasted
    • 1 egg yolk
    • 5ml (1 tsp) white wine vinegar
    • 100ml sunflower oil
    • juice of 1 lemon
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • 125g cream cheese, at room temperature
    • 5ml (1 tsp) Tabasco sauce
    • 200g prawns, cleaned and cooked
    • small handful fresh dill, roughly chopped
    • 2 avocados, peeled and mashed
    • fresh celery leaves, to garnish

    Instructions

    1

    For the mayonnaise, place the roasted garlic, egg yolk and vinegar in a glass jug. Using a stick blender, blitz to combine. Gradually add the sunflower oil, 15ml (1 tbsp) at a time, and blend continuously to emulsify. Season with the juice of half a lemon and salt and black pepper.

    2

    Gently beat the cream cheese with the Tabasco and the juice of half a lemon. Combine the cream cheese with the home-made mayonnaise.

    3

    Toss the prawns in the fresh dill and season. Season the mashed avocado.

    4

    To assemble, place a dollop of avocado in the base of 4 glasses. Top with the mayonnaise mixture and then the prawns. Garnish with celery leaves and serve immediately.