Barbecued prawns with charred kale and avocado puree

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 garlic bulb, peeled
• 5 long red chillies, de-seeded and roughly chopped
• 200 ml olive oil
• Salt flakes and freshly ground pepper
• 16 large green prawns, deveined, shells and heads on
• 1 small handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large bunch of kale (about 600 g), leaves stripped and roughly chopped
• Avocado puree
• 2 avocados
• 75 ml buttermilk
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Salt flakes and freshly ground pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced (180°C conventional).
Add the garlic, chilli, olive oil and plenty of cracked pepper to a small ovenproof saucepan, cover with foil and place in the oven for 1½ hours.
Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, butterfly the prawns by cutting them lengthways along the belly and through the heads until you can open them out flat. Leave the legs on, as they get nice and crunchy once grilled.
For the avocado puree, place the avocado flesh, buttermilk and lemon juice in a food processor and mix on high until smooth. Season to taste and set aside.
Remove the saucepan from the oven. Tip the contents into a food processor and blitz to a paste. Halve the garlic paste, mixing the parsley through one half.
Preheat the barbecue grill and plate on high.
Brush the flesh side of the prawns with the parsley and garlic mix and season well. Grill the prawns flesh side down for a minute or so. Flip and cook for another minute or so until just cooked. They will cook quickly, so be careful. Take the prawns off the grill, sprinkle with the lemon zest and squeeze over the juice.
Drizzle the vegetable oil on the barbecue plate and throw on the kale and the other half of the garlic paste. Season the kale and cook until wilted. Divide the kale between the plates, stack four prawns on top of each mound of kale, generously dollop some avocado puree on the side and serve.

Recipe and images by Mark LaBrooy.

Sticking to the barbecue theme, try this barbecued beef fillet with balsamic and fresh herbs to complete your menu.