Grilled prawns, bacon and bananas, avocado and chilli mayonnaise

Photographer: Lisa Linder (Savour) and Kate
Serves 6

This is another beautiful recipe by our friend chef Peter Gordon.  Personally prawns are right up there on my list of favourites and especially in summer they are a great choice for entertaining.  Prawns (shrimp) and bacon make a great combination, especially if the bacon is smoked, slightly crisp when cooked and deliciously salty. Fresh, high-quality prawns (shrimp) are a little ‘crunchy’ in texture, rich and slightly sweet, and the two combined are terrific. Add grilled (broiled) banana (a childhood breakfast favourite of mine served with bacon) to the mix for the perfect casual brunch or supper pick-me-up!

Words taken from Savour: Salads for all Seasons by Peter Gordon and by Kate

Savour: Salads for all Seasons by Peter Gordon, photographs by Lisa Linder and published by Jacqui Small, £25. Out now, available at QuartoKnows.com

 

INGREDIENTS


250g (9oz.) raw peeled prawns (shrimp) (500g/1lb. 2oz. unpeeled weight)
1 ripe banana
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
into rings
¼ tsp finely grated lime zest
2 tsp lime juice
4 tbsp mayonnaise
chilli sauce, to taste
4 rashers smoked streaky (pork
belly) bacon
2 large slices bread for
toasting (I used Turkish flat
bread)
1 avocado
1 generous handful baby
spinach or other salad leaves

METHOD


1. Peel the prawns (shrimp) but keep the tails on. (You can freeze the shells for making a delicious bisque at some later point.) Run a small sharp knife along the ‘spine’ of the tail and remove and discard the digestive tract.
2. Peel the banana and slice on an angle 5mm (¼ in.) thick. Gently toss or brush both the prawns (shrimp) and the banana with the oil.
3. Rinse the shallot rings in cold water for a minute, separating them, then drain. Mix with the lime zest and 1 teaspoon of the juice.
4. Mix the mayonnaise with the remaining 1 teaspoon of lime juice and the chilli sauce to taste. Check for seasoning, adding salt if needed.
5. You can cook this either under the grill (broiler), in a frying pan (skillet) or on a barbecue. Heat the grill (broiler) or pan (skillet) medium–high and cook the bacon until crisp and bubbling with fatty juices. Remove from the heat and keep warm nearby. Cook the prawns (shrimp) for no more than 60 seconds on each side, depending on their size. Sit the prawns (shrimp) with the bacon and keep warm. Cook the banana on both sides until beginning to caramelize. It’ll be quite soft when you turn it over, so treat it gently. Remove from the heat.
6. Toast the bread. Peel the avocado, remove the stone (pit), scoop out the flesh and cut into wedges.
7. To serve, gently mix the prawns (shrimp), bacon, banana, shallots, avocado and spinach together, then pile on top of the toast. Serve with the chilli mayonnaise.