< Previous SEAFood 159 Whole Garlic Prawns with charred Lemon To me this is hands down the best way to eat prawns. Leaving the shell on prawns protects the delicate flesh from overcooking and traps all their juicy flavors inside, making them succulent and absolutely delicious! Plus, there is a magic that happens when you combine shellfish with gar- lic, ghee, and lemon. You must eat them with your hands, and you must be prepared to suck on their heads and legs without fear! If you’ve never tried it, you’re in for a treat. I can polish off an entire platter on my own. If you’d like to double the recipe, use two skillets. Clean the prawns first: Using a small paring knife, carefully cut through the shells of all the prawns along the outer back curve of each shrimp, cutting through the shell itself and about ¹/88 inch into the flesh the entire way from the head to the tail, and rinse out the veins underneath with cold water. Make sure to leave the shells, heads, and tails intact. Pat very dry and place in a medium bowl. Add the garlic, olive oil, and salt, toss to combine, and refrigerate for 1 hour, uncovered. About 30 minutes before you’re ready to cook the prawns, take them out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high until screaming hot, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the ghee, wait for it to ripple in the pan, then carefully add half the prawns in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes, or until deeply browned underneath, then use tongs to flip the shrimp and cook for another 30 seconds. Transfer to a serving plate. Add the other tablespoon of ghee and repeat until all the prawns are cooked, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Keep the pan on and add the lemon quarters, cut side down. Char until deeply browned on one side, about 1 minute. Transfer the lem- ons to the serving plate with the prawns, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and serve. Serves 2 1 pound fresh large prawns, head and shell on 4 large cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon kosher sea salt 2 teaspoons ghee, divided 1 lemon, quartered 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh Italian parsley Swap It Substitute olive oil for the ghee if you prefer.224 tHE KItcHEn coMMunE BrEAd, BAKInG + SWEEtS 225 Vanilla Ice cream I still love vanilla ice cream with rainbow sprinkles like I did when I was eight years old. We used to live across the street from Häagen-Dazs, and my father would take me there once a week for a treat. I ordered the same thing every time; I still do. Since I gave up dairy, I’ve been fanatical about finding great dairy-free substitutes, which can be hard because they are usually loaded with all sorts of unhealthy ingredients. I’ve developed this recipe so I can eat my favorite ice cream with abandon. The key to success with making a dairy-free coconut cream–based ice cream is that you need to heat up the mixture first, blend it, and then cool it before freezing. You’ll also need to use regular vanilla extract—not alcohol-free. There’s some vital chemistry in these steps and ingredients that works. It does take a little planning (you’ll need to start the ice cream at least 12 hours before you want to serve it), but the results are so worth it. Make sure your coconut cream has no gums or fillers. We need full-fat, all- natural cream. Put the tub of an ice-cream maker into the freezer the day before you plan to make the ice cream and let it freeze for a full 24 hours before using. In a medium saucepan, combine the coconut cream, maple syrup, coconut oil, and salt, and simmer, whisking constantly for about 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to an upright blender and blend on high for 30 seconds. Transfer to a container with a lid, allow to cool uncovered for 30 minutes, then stir in the vanilla extract. Cover and place in the fridge to chill for 4 hours, or overnight. Once chilled, give the mixture a quick whisk again to blend in the skin of fat and any separation that may have formed while in the fridge. Transfer to an ice-cream maker and churn according to the manu- facturer’s instructions. At this point, the ice cream will resemble soft serve. You can enjoy it immediately, or transfer it to a freezer-safe container with a lid to firm up more in the freezer, another 3 to 4 hours, or overnight. To serve, remove the ice cream from the freezer and allow to reach room temperature, about 15 minutes, or until soft enough to scoop. Makes about 1 quart 2 (13.5-ounce) cans heavy coconut cream (such as from Let’s Do Organic or Nature’s Greatest Foods) ½ cup maple syrup ¼ cup coconut oil ¼ teaspoon kosher sea salt 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (not alcohol-free) Sauce It Serve with Vanilla Berry Compote (page 32) or Caramel Sauce (page 211), top with rainbow sprinkles, or simply drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and a sprin- kle of flaky sea salt.Next >