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Confit of Spot Prawns
Linda Kissam 'Food, Wine & Shopping Diva,' shares this recipe from Chef Michael Landsberg, who she met at the Wine Bloggers Conference in Portland, OR.

When it became official that the Wine Bloggers Conference was destined for Portland, King Estate Winery (Eugene, OR) made a commitment to roll out the red carpet and treat visiting bloggers to an unforgettable night of food and wine King Estate style. They worked for months putting the meal together. Although the dinner was located in the Portland Doubletree Inn's Grand Ballroom, King Estate Winery chefs were in the kitchen preparing the meal and their restaurant staff was on the floor overseeing service. Per Ed King III, CEO/Co-Founder of King Estate Winery, "We have done our best to bring the hospitality we are famous for at our organic estate 118 miles north to Portland for you to enjoy." He was correct on every level.

The following is course two of the five-course dinner presented that night. According to Chef Michael Landsberg, "Spot Prawns are a sweet shrimp native to the Pacific coast. Due to their delicate nature, spot prawns must be handled with extreme care while removing the shell. The act of toasting the shells effectively releases oils that give the bisque its sweet flavor. King Estate sources the goat cheese for this dish from Fern’s Edge Goat Dairy in Lowell, Oregon. The opal basil comes from a small family farm in Noti, Oregon called Creative Growers."

Recipe: Confit of Spot Prawns
Served with cucumber, roasted peach, and opal basil. Pair with King Estate Signature Pinot Gris.

Ingredients

6 spot prawn shells, with head

olive oil

1 peach, large dice

2 T opal basil, chiffonade
1 cucumber, sliced

2 T goat cheese, or other fresh cheese

Spot Prawn Sauce

2 T celery, diced
2 T shallot, chopped

2 tsp garlic, chopped

2 T leek, diced

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 sprig fresh rosemary

½ tsp lemon zest

¼ C brandy

¼ C white wine

2 T tomato paste

1 C heavy cream

½ C whole milk

1 tsp kosher salt

pinch black pepper, fresh ground

Preparation

Carefully shell the spot prawns and set meat aside.

Spot Prawn Sauce

Toast the prawn shells in oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the celery, shallot, leek, and garlic. Sweat these vegetables for 5 minutes. Add the thyme, rosemary, and lemon zest. Leave the herbs on the sprig for easy removal later. Continue cooking for another minute or so. Add the brandy, white wine, and tomato paste. Continue to cook together until the alcohol is cooked out. Add the heavy cream and milk. Let simmer until rich and creamy. It will be a beautiful orange color. You can thin the sauce with a little bit of water if it begins to get too thick in consistency. Season the bisque with salt and pepper. Pass through a strainer to remove shells and herbs, then set is aside. This sauce can be served hot or cold.

Peaches and Spot Prawns

Heat a heavy-bottom sauce pan and sear peaches. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and transfer to the open to roast at 400 for 5-10 min.

Season the prawn tails with salt and black pepper then slowly drop them into a small pot of olive oil seasoned with garlic, rosemary and thyme. If the oil bubbles when you add the prawn, it’s too hot. Cook at a low heat until firm, then chill.

Plating

In a martini glass, add fresh goat cheese. Add the bisque, and lay cucumber on top or around the sides of the glass, following with the roasted peach slices. Lay the prawn tails on top and cover with opal basil. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on top and serve.

Linda Kissam ‘Food, Wine & Shopping Diva' is a professional travel, food and wine writer based out of Southern California. Through her websites www.WineChixs.com  and www.AllinGoodTaste.info  she specializes in easy, breezy destination stories sharing her favorite things about the places she visits.