Alaska Spot Prawns with Mexican Grilled Vegetables and Pasta 2003

YIELD: 4 servings

1 lb.(medium large, about 24) Alaska spot prawns, peeled and deveined (last tail segment left intact if desired)
1 bottle (16 oz.)
Frontera Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic Salsa
as needed salt
4 medium zucchini, each cut into 4 long slices
2 medium tomatoes, ripe, halved
1 medium red onion, cut into 1⁄2-in. thick slices
as needed olive oil
1 Tbsp. honey
1 lb. orecchiette, penne or farfalle pasta
1⁄4 cup cilantro, fresh, chopped
1⁄4 cup queso anejo or Romano, grated

1. Prepare the prawns and vegetables: Skewer the spot prawns and brush with 2-3 Tbsps. of the salsa. Sprinkle with salt and let marinate while you grill the vegetables.

2. Brush vegetables with olive oil. One by one lay the vegetables on the grill. Sprinkle with salt, cover and cook for five minutes. Unocver, flip everything over and brush with oil.

3. Cover and cook 3-4 minutes longer, transferring to the cutting board as they are done: the tomatoes, zucchini and onion slices. Cut into 1-in. pieces.

4. Mix 2 Tbsps. salsa with honey. Brush the spot prawns with the honey mixture. Grill, turning once, until the spot prawns are just opaque throughout, about 3 minutes total.

5. Cooking the pasta: Meanwhile, heat a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta until al dente; drain well. Place in a large bowl. Heat the remaining salsa in a medium saucepan, then add the grilled vegetables; heat through. Toss the mixture with the drained pasta.

6. To serve: Divide pasta among four warm dinner plates and place a skewer of spot prawns on the side. Sprinkle with cilantro and cheese.

Recipe from Chef Rick Bayless, Frontera Grill, Chicago. Photo from Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.