Mary Berry Marie Rose Sauce is a creamy, tangy pink dressing popular for being the essential component of a classic 1970s Prawn Cocktail. Ideally, the sauce should be chilled for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors of the Worcestershire sauce and lemon to meld with the mayonnaise.
Mary Berry Marie Rose Sauce Ingredients
- 200ml (7fl oz) good quality mayonnaise (e.g., Hellmann’s)
- 2–3 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- Pinch of sugar (optional, to taste)
- Dash of Tabasco sauce or pinch of cayenne pepper (for a little kick)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Paprika (for dusting)
How To Make Mary Berry Marie Rose Sauce
- Prepare the base: In a medium mixing bowl, measure out the mayonnaise. Mary Berry always emphasizes using full-fat, good-quality mayonnaise as the base flavor is crucial. Add the tomato ketchup.
- Add the seasoning: Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and the fresh lemon juice. These ingredients provide the acidity needed to cut through the rich mayonnaise.
- Adjust the heat: Add a dash of Tabasco sauce or a small pinch of cayenne pepper. This shouldn’t make the sauce spicy, but rather gives it a subtle warmth at the back of the throat.
- Balance the flavor: Taste the sauce. If it tastes too acidic, add a small pinch of sugar to balance it out. Season with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Mix and chill: Stir everything together until the sauce is a uniform pale pink color. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours) before serving.
- Serve: Spoon over prawns or salad leaves and dust the top lightly with paprika for a professional finish.
Recipe Tips
- Mayonnaise matters: Since this is a cold sauce with few ingredients, the quality of the mayonnaise defines the dish. Do not use “salad cream” or low-fat mayonnaise, as they are too sweet and watery.
- Consistency: The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (nappé consistency). If it is too runny (perhaps from too much lemon juice), whisk in another tablespoon of mayonnaise.
- The “Chefs” touch: For a slightly more complex flavor often found in restaurants, add a teaspoon of brandy or cognac to the mixture.
- Color check: The sauce should be a soft, pastel pink. If it is too pale, add a little more ketchup, but be careful not to make it too tomato-heavy.
What To Serve With Mary Berry Marie Rose Sauce
This sauce is single-handedly responsible for the success of the Prawn Cocktail, but serves other purposes too.
- Prawn Cocktail: The undisputed king of starters.
- Avocado: Fill an avocado half with the sauce (Avocado Ritz).
- Seafood Platter: Great for dipping lobster or crab claws.
- Vegetable Crudités: A retro dip for celery and carrots.
- Fish Finger Sandwich: An upgrade from tartare sauce.
How To Store Mary Berry Marie Rose Sauce
- Refrigerate: Store the sauce in a sealed jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Do not freeze. Mayonnaise is an emulsion of oil and egg yolk, which will break and separate if frozen.
Mary Berry Marie Rose Sauce Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 110kcal
- Protein: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fat: 11g
- Saturates: 1.5g
- Sugar: 2g
- Salt: 0.3g
Nutrition information is estimated per serving (approx. 2 tbsp).
FAQs
They are very similar, but Thousand Island usually contains chopped pickles (relish), onions, and hard-boiled eggs for texture. Marie Rose is a smooth sauce.
You can mix half mayonnaise and half natural yogurt or crème fraîche for a lighter, tangier sauce, though it won’t be traditional.
This can happen if you add too much lemon juice or Worcestershire sauce at once. Always add liquids gradually and taste as you go.
Try More Recipes:
- Mary Berry Cranberry Sauce Recipe
- Mary Berry Orange Sauce for Duck Recipe
- Mary Berry Chicken in White Wine Sauce Recipe
Mary Berry Marie Rose Sauce Recipe
Description
The definitive British seafood sauce made from a creamy blend of mayonnaise and ketchup, sharpened with lemon, Worcestershire sauce, and a dash of Tabasco.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place mayonnaise and ketchup in a bowl.
- Add Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice.
- Season with Tabasco, salt, and pepper.
- Stir well until smooth and pink.
- Taste and add sugar if needed.
- Chill for 30 minutes.
- Dust with paprika before serving.
Notes
- It is essential to use a thick, high-quality mayonnaise as the base because a runny mayonnaise will result in a sauce that slides off the prawns rather than coating them luxuriously.
- Letting the sauce rest in the fridge allows the harsh edge of the raw lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce to mellow into the creamy base for a rounded flavor.
- If you are serving this over wet ingredients like lettuce or cucumber, ensure they are thoroughly dried first so they don’t water down the sauce.
