Harissa Prawns with Burnt Tomato Salsa and Herby Bulgar Wheat

I absolutely love prawns! I am always working on new and delicious ways to cook them. This one has layers of flavour and a little gentle heat. I serve this on a platter and let people help themselves.

Serves 2 with leftovers

Prep time 1 hour

Cook time 1 hour

Marinading time 2 hours minimum

Tomato salsa

400g mixed tomatoes

2 medium red chillies

1/2 red onion, grated

2 tsp black garlic paste

1tsp chilli flakes

1 tbsp light brown sugar

2 tbsp tamari

Prawns

14 butterflied tiger prawns, tails on

1 heaped tbsp smoked Harissa

1 tbsp set honey

1 preserved lemon or quarter if homemade, finely chopped & seeds discarded

1 red chilli, finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

Everything else

200g bulgar wheat

350g hot vegetable stock

A large bunch of your favourite herbs, coriander, chives, oregano, mint etc, why not try a mixture

Olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

300g yoghurt

Lemon wedges

Method:

1. Combine the marinade ingredients and smother the prawns, set them aside for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.

2. Char the tomatoes and chillies with a blow torch in a baking tray and then bake for 1 hour at 200C.

3. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once cooled chop the tomato & chilli flesh, discarding any excess juice and seeds. Add this to a bowl with the all the other ingredients for the salsa along with a large pint of salt and set aside until you’re ready to serve.

4. Add the bulgar and hot stock to a pan, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, the bulgar should still have some bite. Drain and set aside to cool a little whilst you cook the prawns

5. Put a non stick frying pan on the highest heat. Sear the prawns for four minutes, turning half way through.

6. Finely chop your chosen herbs, reserving a few to scatter over at the end, and mix through the bulgar with the lemon juice, olive oil and seasoning.

7. On a large platter, spread the herby bulgar out, dollop the salsa on one side and the yoghurt on the other and arrange the prawns on top. Scatter with the remaining herbs and serve with lemon wedges.