Micheal Mina's Crab-Stuffed Prawns

Submitted by College Girl

"As Chef Mina explains, “The booming flavors of this dish are bold without a doubt. The complex combination has it all. It’s spicy, sweet, sour, and the creaminess from the hollandaise binds it together. All the elements unite in a balanced whole to provide a pleasant jolt to the palette. The undercurrent of chilies brings on a lingering heat that tantalizes and perks up the taste buds. This appetizer is served at Arcadia and Restaurant Michael Mina and is commonly enjoyed as a bar snack and makes a substantial first course. I love the texture of cooked cucumber, because it’s tender yet still remains crisp. When you think about it, basically a cucumber is a pickle, and here you’re quickly pickling it in the vinegar sauce. Creamy hollandaise on crab is a decadent pairing; it’s kind of my ode to Japanese Dynamite Crab. The zesty hot and sour sauce is extremely versatile; try it on Asian greens or as a dipping sauce for steamed lobster or shrimp.”"

 

• Ready In: 35mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Yields: 12 prawns
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 1⁄2 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 tablespoons yellow onions, minced
• 1 tablespoon celery, minced
• 1⁄2 lb dungeness crabmeat, picked through for shells and shredded
• 1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1⁄2 red jalapeno chile, seeded and minced
• 1⁄2 green jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 1⁄2 cup cayenne mayonnaise
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 12 prawns, preferably spot prawns, peeled with tails on
• orange, jalapeno hollandaise
• hot and sour sauce with cucumber noodles

directions

1. To make the crab mixture: In a small sauté pan, heat the canola oil over medium-low flame. Sweat the onions and celery until soft but without color, about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the crabmeat, parsley, jalapeños, cayenne mayonnaise, and the sautéed onion and celery; season with salt and pepper. Fold the ingredients together thoroughly to combine evenly. Cover and refrigerate.
3. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
4. Butterfly the prawns by cutting almost all the way through the underside curl of the body and open them flat to resemble a butterfly shape. Pack 1 tablespoon of the crab filling into the cavity of the prawns. Perch the prawns, tail-side up, on a baking dish; season lightly with salt and pepper. Pour 2 tablespoons of water into the pan to create some steam.
5. Bake 10 to 15 minutes until the prawns are firm and the crab stuffing begins to brown on the edges.
6. To serve: Divide the cucumber noodles among 4 plates, arranging them down the center. Set 3 crab-stuffed prawns side-by-side atop the bed of cucumbers. Generously spoon the hollandaise over the prawns, covering all of the crab stuffing. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the hot and sour sauce around the prawns, being sure to get some of the scallion and red pepper in each spoonful.