Woodfired king prawns with Sicilian basil caponata
Serves: 6-8

To make the caponata –heat some olive oil in a large, heavy based frying pan over a medium heat. Individually sauté all the diced vegetables until soft and caramelised, placing them together in a bowl as you go. When they have all been cooked, add them all back into the pan together and add the capers, pine nuts and olives. Increase the heat and combine the flavours, stirring for about a minute. Deglaze with the red wine vinegar and allow to reduce and caramelise. Season to taste with salt and pepper, fold through the basil and set aside.

Remove the centre shell section of the prawns and de-vein, leaving the head and tail attached. Heat some oil in a heavy based frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and the chilli and sauté for 1 minute. Add the prawns and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, and set aside. Alternatively you can grill the prawns on a barbeque or chargrill, and brush with chilli garlic oil. Or if you have access to a woodfire, you can cook them under a high heat.

To serve – place some caponata on the bottom of a serving plate; top with 2-3 prawns per person and finish with some more chilli, fresh basil and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.