Wild Red Tiger Prawns Recipe

Prep

Rinse prawns under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. If not deveined, butterfly or devein leaving the shell intact on the back for presentation. Set aside on a tray.

In a bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, smoked paprika, sea salt and black pepper. Whisk to emulsify.

Toss the prawns in the marinade, ensuring each prawn is coated. Marinate at room temperature for 15–20 minutes (no longer than 30 minutes to avoid over-acid cooking).

While prawns marinate, make the herb butter: in a small bowl combine softened butter, chopped parsley, chopped mint, lemon zest, finely minced shallot, chopped capers, white wine vinegar, salt and black pepper. Mix until homogeneous. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep at room temperature so butter is spreadable, or return to fridge briefly if too soft.

If you prefer a looser mint sauce for drizzling, reserve half the butter and stir in an extra 1 tsp lemon juice and 1 tsp olive oil to loosen the texture.

Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high (medium-high if using a cast-iron skillet). Brush both sides of each sourdough slice with olive oil and a light coating of melted butter.

Chargrill the sourdough 1–2 minutes per side until deep grill marks form and the crumb is crisp but still slightly chewy. Remove and keep warm.

Toss microgreens or baby herbs with a tiny pinch of salt and 1/2 tsp olive oil just before plating to keep them fresh.

Heat a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over high heat until smoking slightly. Add 1 tbs olive oil and swirl to coat.

Place prawns shell-side down in a single layer. Cook without moving for 1.5–2 minutes until shells are bright red and slightly charred.

Flip the prawns and cook the other side for 45–60 seconds until just cooked through (prawn flesh opaque and springy). Avoid overcooking.

Remove prawns to a warm plate and immediately dot or brush with the herb butter so it melts over the hot shells and flesh.

If using red mullet fillets: pat fillets dry, season lightly with 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp olive oil. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Place skin-side down and press gently for 20–30 seconds to prevent curling.

Cook skin-side down 2–3 minutes until crisp, then flip and cook 30–60 seconds more until just cooked through. Remove and rest for 1 minute. Cut into bite-size pieces to scatter across the plate with the prawns.

Arrange two slices of charred sourdough on each plate. Place 3 prawns per person atop the bread or beside it, spooning any melted herb butter over each prawn.

Add pieces of red mullet (if used) and scatter dressed microgreens over the prawns and bread. Add a small extra dollop of herb butter on each slice of sourdough.

Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing, and extra pepper to taste.