Cocoa Chimichurri Prawns

Chefs Marion Robinson and Peter Long,
The Star Conservatory Restaurant

This subtle cocoa chimichurri sauce complements the lightly-seasoned, pan-seared garlic prawns.

Ingredients
Prawns
8 Tbsp garlic oil
4 tsp butter
8 tiger prawns, peeled, deveined & tail left on, cut in half length-wise
salt and pepper to season
4 Tbsp white wine

Sauce
1 cup olive oil
4 tsp minced garlic
4 tsp cocoa
4 Tbsp white vinegar
pinch of cayenne
pepper
1 bunch of flat-leaf
parsley
8 Tbsp cilantro
4 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 fresh lemon

Couscous
1 cup couscous
1 cup hot water
pinch of sea salt
1/2 lemon, zest and juice
1/8 cup unsalted pistachio nuts, shelled and minced
1 Tbsp roasted garlic olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Method
Prawns

1. In a small frying pan, heat garlic oil and butter over medium heat (do not brown butter).
2. Add prawns and season with salt and pepper. Flip over once after 2 mins and add wine.
3. Cover and cook over low heat for 3 mins.
4. Remove when prawns curl to an S-shape.

Sauce

1. With a food processor, blend all ingredients except salt, pepper and lemon juice.
2. When blended, add remaining ingredients and pulse.

Couscous

1. In a medium mixing bowl, use fork to combine couscous, hot water and pinch of sea salt.
2. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 25 mins.
3. In a separate bowl, combine lemon juice and zest, pistachios,  garlic olive oil and salt and pepper.
4. Add this mixture to couscous.

Assembly

1. Ladle sauce on plate. Spoon on couscous and place 2 prawns per plate on sauce around couscous.

Yields 4 servings