Grilled Drunken Prawn with Beetroot Pasta and Vanilla Foam

Place the flour in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle and add ¾ of the beetroot purée, the salt, eggs and olive oil. Using your hands bring the mixture together into a ball of soft dough. Place the mixture onto a floured surface and knead for 1 minute being careful not to overwork the pasta. Let the pasta rest for at least one hour. Using a pasta machine, roll out the pasta into thin sheets and then cut into fettuccine. Allow it to dry a little.

Next make the marinade for the prawns by mixing all the ingredients together. Add the prawns and coat well in the marinade. Allow to marinate for a few minutes.

Prepare the vegetables by adding the oil and butter to a hot pan, when sizzling add the garlic and asparagus cook for one minute and add the spinach. Turn off the heat and mix the spinach around the pan until it begins to wilt. Season well and remove from heat and set aside until needed.

Make the balsamic reduction by adding the ingredients to a small pan and allowing it to reduce, until the mixture thickens and becomes syrupy.

Next make the vanilla foam. In a small pot add the milk, rum, vanilla bean and season to taste bring to boil. Turn off the stove and allow the vanilla bean to infuse the milk for 10 minutes strain and add the lecithin. Set aside until ready to serve. blend with an immersion blender to form a foam.

Next, cook the pasta in salted boiling water. When cooked, drain well and place into a pan with a little butter and rum. Mix well and allow to keep warm.

Now it’s time to cook the prawns, heat a griddle and cook place the shrimps on the griddle, brush with the remaining marinade and cook for 2 minutes on each side.

Serve by adding to the pasta to the plate, top with the shrimps and serve the vegetables to one side. Using a paint brush add a couple of streaks to the plate by dipping the brush into the remaining beetroot purée and brushing it across the serving plate.

Using an immersion blender, blend the vanilla mixture until foamy. Using a tablespoon take a couple of tablespoons of the foam and spoon over the prawns. Serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy of Michael Harrison