Jumbo Prawns on Rosemary Skewers with Grilled Potato Skins
What a simple idea; what a great result! Chef Donier uses branches of rosemary as skewers, giving grilled prawns a wonderful flavor. He serves the prawns with potato skins which have been grilled and filled with sundried tomatoes, goat cheese, and basil. Chopped fresh tomato and a little minced garlic may be substituted for the sundried tomatoes.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Lemon zest - zest of 1/2 lemon, grated
- Prawns - 24 jumbo, peeled and deveined, tails left on
- Rosemary Branches - 4, 8 to 10 inches long
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Grilled Potato Skins
- Idaho or red russet potatoes - 2
- Olive Oil - 1/2 teaspoon
- Fresh Goat Cheese - 4 tablespoons
- Sundried Tomatoes - 8
- Basil leaves - 4
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
To prepare the potatoes: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Hollow out the centers of the potato halves with a melon baller, leaving a 1/2-inch border of potato all the way around. Put in the water and reduce heat to medium; simmer 5 to 7 minutes, then drain. Brush the skins with olive oil.
Prepare the grill for indirect cooking: Light a charcoal grill and let the coals burn until covered with light grey ash. Or, light a gas grill according to manufacturer’s directions. Move the coals into a circle around the outside of the fire grate and place a drip pan in the center. Place the cooking grate on top and let heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
Place the potatoes, cut-side down, on the hot grate. Grill 2 to 3 minutes, leaving grill marks. Remove and put on a plate, cut-side up. Place 2 sundried tomatoes, then 1 tablespoon of goat cheese inside each potato and top with a basil leaf. Place on the cooking grate and grill for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are hot and the cheese has melted.
Refresh the coals if necessary.
To prepare the prawns: Mix the olive oil and lemon zest. Place six prawns in a row on a work surface. Holding the prawns down with one hand, push a rosemary branch through the prawns, allowing the branch to stick out both ends. Repeat to skewer all prawns. Brush with lemon oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place the skewered prawns on the hot grate and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
To serve: Place a grilled potato and one skewer of shrimp on each serving plate, leaving the rosemary skewer in the shrimp.
