Jalapeño Grilled Spot Prawns
Spot prawns might be the most tender, citrus, sweet seafood delicacies anywhere. They are beautiful and mind-blowingly delicious. These are quick marinated in a cross between a jalapeño jerk sauce and a chimichurri and then char grilled over hot coals... amazing flavor.
Servings 4
Ingredients
Jalapeno Marinade
- 2 each jalapeños
- 1 each scallions
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp tamari (or regular soy sauce if gluten isn't a problem)
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Grilled Spot Prawns
- 8 each fresh spot prawns
Instructions
Jalapeno Marinade
- Rinse your vegetables. Cut the tops off the jalapeños. This marinade isn't terribly spicy but if you just want the jalapeño flavor you can take the seeds out of the jalapeños as well. Cut into big chunks and toss into a blender.
- Cut the scallions into slices and add to the blender.
- Toss the cilantro leaves, minced garlic, tamarind, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil into the blender as well.
- Process until everything is a fairly smooth and completely mixed marinade sauce!
- Make sure your live/fresh spot prawns are still in good shape (when they die they can release an enzyme that turns their meat to mush pretty quickly). Pour marinade over them (heads, shell, and all) and let marinate about 20 minutes.
Grilled Spot Prawns.
- Get your grill nice and hot while the spot prawns are marinating.
- Grill the spot prawns about 2 minutes each side, should get some nice grill marks and have turned pink!
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
- NB: If you're down for it, after you pull the heads of make sure to suck the juices, amazing! Peel the shell and legs off and taste the mind blowing flesh, such a delicacy.
Notes
I'm lucky enough to live in Santa Barbara, where some of the best spot prawns are found. During the season you can go down to the harbor and buy the fresh prawns directly from the people pulling them out of the water!
I also grew up in Washington State where they also have amazing spot prawns. Some of the best I've ever had were from The Willows Inn on Lummi Island, put into an individual box and covered in a mound of super heated salt. They literally cooked in the salt as the servers walked to the table... amazing. I cannot speak highly enough of The Willows Inn and Blaine Wetzel