serves 4
How the hell is it Thursday again already?!?
Today’s recipe is super easy and deceptively quick to put together – and don’t freak out when you see the list of ingredients as a few are repeated and they are all very straight forward. Basically it is fried corn tortillas (the tostada bit) topped with a lime and garlic smoky mayo, quick red cabbage slaw, sliced avocados, tomato salsa, spicy prawns and fresh coriander. All of those lovely bright flavours and textures together make it the perfect I-wish-it-was-bloody-summer-already lunch or dinner. It is a recipe that I created for my good mates at Dish magazine in conjunction with Fisher & Paykel.
Right then in other news, poor old Hoob has a terrible hoiky cough but is still playing bball, working and about to start his last essay for the uni year. He has done so well in this first year of flatting and managed all of his study, work and recreation beautifully – I would just love to wrap him in woolly jumpers and drag him to the doctor every now and again…Meanwhile Pog seems to be revelling in his extra-curricular activities, and it makes so happy to think of him pottering about the community garden on his days off, contributing, connecting with his community and mastering the art of vege-growing while it appears that the lovely Will has taken up yoga to go with his gym training – a perfect balance indeed!
And me? I had the most fun I’ve had in ages over the long-weekend, heading out of town for a friend’s birthday shindig. I stayed with the most gorgeous group of new and old friends by the beach, and on Saturday night we all headed a few doors down to the party. I talked and drank, danced and laughed my arse off into the very, very wee hours and it was bloody fantastic. Add to that lovely walks on the beach, bacon cooked on the barbecue and constant friendly banter and it was just perfect. Coming home it felt like I had re-entered the isolation zone – soooooo quiet! Anyhoo I’m sure I’ll get used to it in a few days…besides which a post-party quiet time is probably just what the doctor ordered. Time to get up (in bed as always for writing) but check back in on Saturday for another new recipe…see you then!
Mexican prawns:
500 grams raw prawns (without tails)
1 tbsp chilli oil
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chilli powder
cabbage slaw:
2 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tsp caster sugar
2 tsp olive oil
½ small red cabbage, finely shredded
3 spring onions, finely sliced
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
tomato salsa:
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp sugar
½ small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 red capsicum, finely chopped
1 red chilli, seeded, finely chopped
2 cups mixed cherry tomatoes, sliced into thirds
lime & garlic smoky mayo:
½ cup good quality egg mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
finely grated zest of 1 lime
1 small clove garlic crushed
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
to serve:
4 largecorn tortillas
¼ cup high smoke point cooking oil
2 avocados, sliced
1 ½ cups coriander leaves
Sriracha hot sauce
lime quarters to serve
For the prawns: mix all ingredients together in a snap-lock bag and marinate in the fridge for 4 hours or up to over night.
For the slaw: whisk the vinegar, sugar and oil together in a large bowl and stir through shredded cabbage and spring onions. Season well with salt and pepper. Can be prepared an hour before serving.
For the salsa: whisk together the lime juice, oil and sugar. Add onion, capsicum, chilli and tomatoes and stir to combine. Prepare half an hour before serving.
For the mayo: whisk all ingredients together and store in the fridge. Can be prepared a day ahead.
To serve: Pre heat the oven to 160˚C. Heat the high smoke point cooking oil in a large frying pan and fry corn tortillas 30-seconds to a minute each side until crispy and golden. Drain well on paper towels and keep warm in the oven for 5 minutes while you cook the prawns. Drain most of the oil from the frying pan and cook prawns for a minute each side until cooked through. Serve crispy tostadas layered with lime and garlic smoky mayo, slaw, tomato salsa, prawns, avocado and coriander. Top with a drizzle of Sriracha sauce, sprinkle with sea salt and serve lime wedges on the side.
