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Grilled prawns and calamari with spiced eggplant pilaf

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for grilled prawns and calamari with spiced eggplant pilaf

By Emma Knowles
  • 15 mins preparation
  • 35 mins cooking plus standing
  • Serves 4
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Grilled prawns and calamari with spiced eggplant pilaf
This dish is inspired by the flavours in Greg Malouf’s new book on Turkish food, Turquoise.

Ingredients

  • 110 ml olive oil
  • 1 large purple eggplant, cut into 1cm dice
  • 3 golden shallots, thinly sliced
  • 200 gm cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 200 gm short-grain rice, such as arborio
  • 20 ml lemon juice (1 tbsp)
  • 8 green medium prawns, peeled and intestinal tracts removed, tails intact
  • 2 calamari tubes, cleaned and cut into 3cm strips
  • ¼ cup each of dill sprigs and flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely torn
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced
  • To serve: lemon wedges

Method

Main
  • 1
    Heat 2 tbsp oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat, add eggplant and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and tender (about 5 minutes), then transfer to a bowl. Add 30ml oil to pan, then shallots, chilli, tomatoes, allspice and half the garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until shallots are tender (5-7 minutes), then stir in reserved eggplant, then rice. Pour over 550ml boiling water and season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to the boil without stirring, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, remove lid, cover with a tea towel, replace lid and stand for 10 minutes.
  • 2
    Meanwhile, combine lemon juice, remaining garlic and olive oil in a non-reactive bowl and season to taste. Add prawns and calamari, stirring to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and stand for 10 minutes to marinate.
  • 3
    While pilaf is resting, heat a chargrill pan over high heat. Drain prawns and calamari from marinade and cook, in batches, until golden and just cooked (2-3 minutes each side). Set aside.
  • 4
    Stir herbs and green onion through pilaf, top with grilled seafood and serve with lemon wedges passed separately.
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  • undefined: Emma Knowles