Paul Ainsworth shares his recipe for Cornish sea salt and pink pepper prawns
paul-ainsworth.co.uk
Serves 4
For the salt and pepper mix:
- Pink peppercorns 2 tbsp
- White peppercorns 1 tbsp
- Black peppercorns 1 tbsp
- Allspice berries 6
- Cornish sea salt 50g
For the dipping sauce:
- Sesame oil 1 tbsp
- Shallot 1, peeled and diced
- Garlic clove 1, peeled and finely grated
- Green jalapeño pepper ½, diced
- Pickled ginger 20g, diced
- Rice wine vinegar 25ml
- Honey 20g
- Sweet chilli sauce 30ml
- Dark soy sauce ½ tsp
- Fresh orange juice 250ml
For the prawns:
- Olive oil 3 tbsp
- Large prawns 8, heads and shells on, deveined
To serve:
- Lemon 2
- Lime 2
- Coriander 10g, stalks included, roughly chopped
- For the salt and pepper mix: place a small frying pan over a medium heat and toast all the peppercorns and the allspice berries for 2 minutes. Transfer the spices to a spice grinder or pestle and mortar and blitz until they are the consistency of cracked or coarse-ground pepper. Stir the pepper thoroughly with the salt then store in an airtight container. It will keep in a cool, dry place for a few months.
- For the dipping sauce: warm the sesame oil in a medium‑size saucepan, add the shallot, garlic and jalapeño and cook for 2 minutes to soften. Add the ginger and stir for another minute. Add the rice wine vinegar, turn up the heat and allow to evaporate, then add the honey and sweet chilli sauce and bring to a bubble. Stir in the soy sauce and orange juice, bring to a simmer and reduce the sauce by half, until you have a thick consistency. Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool.
- For the sea salt and pink pepper prawns: place a large frying pan over a high heat and add the olive oil. Season the prawns liberally with the salt and pepper mix. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the prawns one by one and cook for 45 seconds on each side, then transfer them to a large serving platter or board.
- Finish the prawns with a few rasps of finely grated lemon and lime zest, then scatter over the coriander. Serve the prawns with the dipping sauce and wedges of lemon and lime.
You will need
For the salt and pepper mix:
- Pink peppercorns 2 tbsp
- White peppercorns 1 tbsp
- Black peppercorns 1 tbsp
- Allspice berries 6
- Cornish sea salt 50g
For the dipping sauce:
- Sesame oil 1 tbsp
- Shallot 1, peeled and diced
- Garlic clove 1, peeled and finely grated
- Green jalapeño pepper ½, diced
- Pickled ginger 20g, diced
- Rice wine vinegar 25ml
- Honey 20g
- Sweet chilli sauce 30ml
- Dark soy sauce ½ tsp
- Fresh orange juice 250ml
For the prawns:
- Olive oil 3 tbsp
- Large prawns 8, heads and shells on, deveined
To serve:
- Lemon 2
- Lime 2
- Coriander 10g, stalks included, roughly chopped
Method
- For the salt and pepper mix: place a small frying pan over a medium heat and toast all the peppercorns and the allspice berries for 2 minutes. Transfer the spices to a spice grinder or pestle and mortar and blitz until they are the consistency of cracked or coarse-ground pepper. Stir the pepper thoroughly with the salt then store in an airtight container. It will keep in a cool, dry place for a few months.
- For the dipping sauce: warm the sesame oil in a medium‑size saucepan, add the shallot, garlic and jalapeño and cook for 2 minutes to soften. Add the ginger and stir for another minute. Add the rice wine vinegar, turn up the heat and allow to evaporate, then add the honey and sweet chilli sauce and bring to a bubble. Stir in the soy sauce and orange juice, bring to a simmer and reduce the sauce by half, until you have a thick consistency. Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool.
- For the sea salt and pink pepper prawns: place a large frying pan over a high heat and add the olive oil. Season the prawns liberally with the salt and pepper mix. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the prawns one by one and cook for 45 seconds on each side, then transfer them to a large serving platter or board.
- Finish the prawns with a few rasps of finely grated lemon and lime zest, then scatter over the coriander. Serve the prawns with the dipping sauce and wedges of lemon and lime.
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