farm to table
Alaskan Spot Prawns with Polenta Tortelletti, Truffled Sunchoke and Pancetta
Washington Recipes
Hitting the Spot
SEATTLE / AQUA by El Gaucho Kevin Benner SERVES 4
Spot Prawn Matelote
Parsley, to taste Lemon juice, to taste
SEATTLE / Sawyer Mitch Mayers SERVES 2
½ teaspoon saffron threads ¼ cup hot water 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 cloves of garlic thinly sliced, divided 1 large onion, chopped 2 ounces brandy 1 cup white wine 2 heirloom tomatoes, diced 2 cups button (or wild) mushrooms, cut into ¼ slices 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 8 1-inch chunks 4 cups chicken stock 1 pound spot prawns, peeled and cleaned Butter, to taste Salt, to taste
Spot Prawns with Shiso-Oyster Emulsion, Lime and Sea Salt
SEATTLE / RockCreek Seafood & Spirits Eric Donnelly SERVES 4 AS AN APPETIZER 8 head-on spot prawns 1 cup seasoned Wondra flour ¼ cup olive oil 1 clove garlic, sliced 1 scrape of orange zest 6 jalapeños 8 fresh shiso leaves 3 lime slices 12 ounces of oyster-shiso aioli (see recipe) 1 pinch of coarse sea salt FOR OYSTER-SHISO AIOLI 1 cup shiso leaf, rough chopped 1 cup cilantro, rough chopped ¼ cup lime juice 4 oysters, shucked 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup grape seed oil
26 1889 WASHINGTON’S MAGAZINE
Dissolve saffron threads in hot water. Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over a medium-high flame. Sauté garlic until it starts to color, then add onion and mushrooms, and sauté until it softens and takes on a golden color. Add brandy and let cook for 1 minute, then add white wine. When the brandy looks syrupy, add tomatoes and cook them down for 3 minutes. Add the saffron. Cook for a minute. Add potatoes and enough stock or water to just cover, then bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low, cover and simmer over a low heat until the potatoes are just tender, about 20 minutes. Salt to taste. Add spot prawns and cook for roughly 1 minute. Add a tablespoon of butter, squeeze of fresh lemon and parsley. Serve with a piece of toast.
Toss the head-on spot prawns in a bowl with the seasoned Wondra flour, gently tossing until they are evenly coated. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and bring up to smoke point. Add the seasoned spot prawns to the oil and sauté them for about 1½ minutes. Flip the prawns in the pan and add garlic, jalapeño, shiso leaf and orange zest. Once the garlic is toasted, remove from the heat. Plate cooked prawns over a 3-ounce pool of the oyster aioli and garnish with the crispy shiso, garlic chips and jalapeños. Sprinkle a pinch of coarse sea salt to finish. Add lime wheels to finish the dish. FOR OYSTER-SHISO AIOLI In a blender, add shiso, cilantro, oysters, lime juice and kosher salt. Blend on medium speed until the oysters and herbs are pureed smooth. Drizzle in grape seed oil until you have achieved a bright green, tangy and vibrant emulsification. Taste and adjust the salt and acidity level as necessary.
APRIL | MAY 2019
Three 5-pound spot prawns, jumbo or colossal
FOR POLENTA TORTELLETTI 1 cup polenta 3 cups water ½ cup butter ½ cup mascarpone ¼ cup half and half Pinch salt Pasta dough FOR SUNCHOKE PUREE 1 pound sunchokes 1 cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon shallots 1 tablespoon white truffle trim or truffle oil FOR PANCETTA CHIPS 6 ounces pancetta, cubed Canola oil Remove the shells from the prawns and reserve any roe they are carrying. Bring water to a boil and whisk in the polenta and salt. Cook the polenta for 15 minutes on simmer, whisking periodically. Stir in the butter, half and half and cheese, then cook for another 5 minutes. Chill the filling in refrigerator. When the polenta is set, portion into small balls to fill your tortelletti. This dish can be equally delicious without the pasta—simply keep your polenta hot and serve with the prawns. Slice the sunchokes into 1-inch pieces, cover with water in a stock pot and bring to a boil with the shallots. Once the water has reduced and the sunchokes are soft to the touch, add the cream and truffles or oil. Bring to a boil and carefully blend. Sauté pancetta with a little canola oil until browned, then set aside. Sauté spot prawns in butter and add prawn roe. This should take 2-3 minutes depending on the size of the prawn. Remove the cooked prawns, but save the pan and liquid the prawns were cooked in. Cook pasta in boiling water. Once al dente, remove from water and toss with remaining spot prawn cooking liquid. Sauté the pasta until the liquid is reduced enough to coat the pasta and create a delicious sauce. Spoon the sunchoke puree into bowls, top with pasta and spot prawns, garnish with fresh herbs, truffle peels or truffle oil, and pancetta.
