Chef's Notes
This recipe is from “Anita Stewart’s Canada”, which is Anita Stewart’s most recent cookbook. Chef Michael Allemeier shares his recipe with her, which he cooked the way he and his family had done in their home in Johannesburg.
You can also serve this dish tapas-style in individual cast-iron pans.
Step 1: Marinating the Prawns
- 2 peri-peri peppers or red jalapeño peppers
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup corn oil
- 2 lb fresh prawns
To begin, prepare your mise en place by removing the stem from the peppers and roughly chopping. Mince the garlic and squeeze the lemon juice. Gather the paprika, salt and corn oil.
In a food processor, add the peppers, garlic, lemon juice paprika and salt, and process to make a paste. Pour in the oil slowly and continue to process until it forms a smooth emulsion. Set aside.
Next, clean and de-vein the prawns. Place them into a glass bowl and toss with the marinade. Cover and let the prawns absorb the marinade for 30 minutes at room temperature, or for up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
Step 2: Cooking the Prawns
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- 2 tsp vegetable oil (if frying)
To cook the prawns, preheat your barbeque to medium-high. Remove the prawns from the marinade and grill until just cooked, about 1-2 minutes per side.
Alternatively, preheat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add a thin layer of oil and pan-fry the prawns for about 1-2 minutes per side.
Sprinkle the prawns with freshly chopped parsley and serve with warm, crusty bread.