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By Root 415 0

and fresh vegetables in Vietnamese cooking, where the protein is used more as a garnish than as the entire focus of the meal. Feel free to spice it up by adding some minced garlic and jalapeño.

SERVES 4

In a large bowl, mix the lime juice, grapefruit juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, chile sauce, salt, and sugar. Add the shrimp, carrots, cilantro, and avocado. Mix well and let the shrimp marinate for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.

In a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the peanut oil. Add the shallots and cook until they are caramelized, about 10 minutes. Let them cool and then add them to the shrimp mixture.

Cut the peel off the grapefruit, making sure to remove any of the white bitter pith from the flesh. Slice the grapefruit horizontally into ½-inch rounds and remove any seeds. Then slice them into ½-inch-wide strips, and finally, cut them crosswise into medium cubes. Salt the cubes lightly and set aside.

Place the lettuce leaves on a large platter. Spoon the grapefruit and then the shrimp mixture evenly over the leaves, drizzling excess marinade all around the platter. Garnish with the peanuts and mint.

PAIRING: A sauvignon blanc, such as Kim Crawford 2009, Marlborough, New Zealand, or a Sancerre.

weeknight linguine with spot prawns and basil

Kosher salt

1 pound fresh or dried linguine

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ cup pitted kalamata olives

¼ cup capers, chopped

¼ cup dry white vermouth or

dry white wine

2 fresh tomatoes, cut into

medium dice, or two canned

tomatoes, cut into medium

dice, plus ½ cup of the juice

¼ cup roughly chopped fresh

basil, plus some small leaves

for garnish

1 pound spot prawns, peeled

and deveined16

Zest of 1 lemon (about 2

teaspoons)

Freshly ground pepper

2 ounces goat cheese (optional)

Legend has it that pasta puttanesca was a quick bite for busy “ladies of the evening” in Naples, Italy. This dish is based on a classic puttanesca but takes it in a slightly different direction by including our Pacific Coast spot prawns and the bright note of lemon zest. One of my favorite ways to dress this recipe up a bit is by adding goat cheese. Every lady needs a good accessory now and again.

SERVES 4

Set a large pasta pot filled with water over high heat. When the water boils, add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the pasta and cook until it is al dente. Drain in a colander, reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Set the pasta aside, shaking it from time to time to keep it from sticking.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. After a minute, add the garlic, red pepper flakes, olives, and capers, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, to flavor the oil. Carefully add the vermouth, stirring to loosen any bits clinging to the pan. Add the tomatoes with juice and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. If the sauce is dry, add a touch of the reserved pasta cooking water. Add the basil, prawns, lemon zest, and reserved pasta, and cook, tossing, for 2 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with the goat cheese and basil leaves.

PAIRING: A pinot grigio, such as Jermann 2008, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy, or a grüner veltliner.

grilled spot prawns with “crack salad”

For the crack salad:

1 underripe (still firm) mango,

peeled, pitted, and cut into

small dice

½ medium English cucumber,

peel on, deseeded, and cut

into ¼-inch half moons (about

2 cups)

1 Fresno chile pepper,

deseeded and minced, or ¼

red bell pepper, cut into small

dice (optional)

⅓ cup dry-roasted, salted

peanuts

⅓ cup chopped cilantro stems

and leaves

¼ cup Thai sweet chile sauce,

such as Mae Ploy brand17

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed

lime juice (about ½ lime)

¼ cup unsweetened coconut,

toasted (optional)

For the grilled spot prawns:

½ pound raw shell-on or live

spot prawns

High-heat vegetable oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Skewers (if using wooden skew-

ers, presoak them in water for

1 hour)

One reason I’ve never wanted to run a restaurant is that your customers get very