Brae's Prawn Head & Kohlrabi Taco

Lunch Dinner

Brae's Prawn Head & Kohlrabi Taco is a perfect expression of Dan Hunter's cooking philosophy: flavour and sustainability working hand in hand. Prawns are an Australian icon, yet their most flavourful part (the head) is often thrown away. This dish flips that thinking.

The tails are prepared raw and marinated, while the heads are grilled and placed proudly on a crisp kohlrabi 'taco'. Born from the produce grown on Brae’s own farm and guided by a commitment to using every part of an ingredient, this recipe invites diners to taste and think differently.

Ingredients

8 sashimi-grade green prawns, peeled and deveined, heads reserved
1 golden shallot, finely diced
1 tsp fish sauce
Finely grated lemon zest and lemon juice, to taste
8 thin slices kohlrabi (sliced on a mandoline)
8 large nasturtium leaves (10cm wide), washed and dried
Pulp from 12 finger limes
FOR THE TOMATO PASTE:
1 kg mixed ripe tomatoes
34 tsp tamarind purée, plus extra to taste
Pinch of caster sugar (optional), to season
FOR THE GARLICCIDER VINAIGRETTE:
50 ml extravirgin olive oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
¼ small garlic clove, finely chopped

Method

Step 1.

For tomato paste, pass tomatoes through a mouli (or process in a food processor and pass through a coarse sieve), discarding seeds. Add tomato pulp to a saucepan over low heat and simmer, stirring occasionally at first then more frequently as it thickens, until a thick paste (40-45 minutes). Season with tamarind, sugar and salt to taste and refrigerate until chilled.

Step 2.

Halve prawns lengthways and cut into small dice. Refrigerate until required.

Step 3.

Blanch shallot in boiling water (10 seconds). Drain, chill, then add to prawn mixture with fish sauce and tomato paste, season to taste and add lemon zest and tamarind to taste. Refrigerate until needed.

Step 4.

For garlic-cider vinaigrette, blend ingredients with a handheld blender until emulsified. Season to taste with salt.

Step 5.

Burn coals on a charcoal barbecue until flames die down (high heat). Grill prawn heads, making sure the finer parts don’t burn, until golden with a roasted scent (3-5 minutes), then toss them in garlic-cider vinaigrette.

Step 6.

Divide prawn mixture among kohlrabi slices, cover with a nasturtium leaf and top with finger lime. Place a grilled prawn head on top and serve.

Brae's Prawn Head & Kohlrabi Taco

Ingredients

8 sashimi-grade green prawns, peeled and deveined, heads reserved
1 golden shallot, finely diced
1 tsp fish sauce
Finely grated lemon zest and lemon juice, to taste
8 thin slices kohlrabi (sliced on a mandoline)
8 large nasturtium leaves (10cm wide), washed and dried
Pulp from 12 finger limes
FOR THE TOMATO PASTE:
1 kg mixed ripe tomatoes
34 tsp tamarind purée, plus extra to taste
Pinch of caster sugar (optional), to season
FOR THE GARLICCIDER VINAIGRETTE:
50 ml extravirgin olive oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
¼ small garlic clove, finely chopped

Method

Step 1.

For tomato paste, pass tomatoes through a mouli (or process in a food processor and pass through a coarse sieve), discarding seeds. Add tomato pulp to a saucepan over low heat and simmer, stirring occasionally at first then more frequently as it thickens, until a thick paste (40-45 minutes). Season with tamarind, sugar and salt to taste and refrigerate until chilled.

Step 2.

Halve prawns lengthways and cut into small dice. Refrigerate until required.

Step 3.

Blanch shallot in boiling water (10 seconds). Drain, chill, then add to prawn mixture with fish sauce and tomato paste, season to taste and add lemon zest and tamarind to taste. Refrigerate until needed.

Step 4.

For garlic-cider vinaigrette, blend ingredients with a handheld blender until emulsified. Season to taste with salt.

Step 5.

Burn coals on a charcoal barbecue until flames die down (high heat). Grill prawn heads, making sure the finer parts don’t burn, until golden with a roasted scent (3-5 minutes), then toss them in garlic-cider vinaigrette.

Step 6.

Divide prawn mixture among kohlrabi slices, cover with a nasturtium leaf and top with finger lime. Place a grilled prawn head on top and serve.