TIGER PRAWNS WITH PINOT GRIGIO

Food and wine go together, well, like food and wine. At least they do when you get it right. Wine Lover’s Kitchen by Fiona Beckett is your guide to getting it right. Not only does she incorporate wine into her recipes, she makes astute pairing recommendations to ensure your bacchanal is complementary and harmonious.

12 oz (340 g) vine-ripened tomatoes

3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil

7 oz (198 g) raw tiger prawns

2 shallots, very finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (100 mL) Pinot Grigio

8 fresh basil leaves, torn

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Cut a cross in the bottom of each tomato. Put tomatoes in a heatproof bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let stand for 1 minute, then remove with a slotted spoon. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skins. Roughly chop with a pinch of sugar and set aside.

2. In a frying pan on medium heat, warm 2 tbsp (30 mL) oil. Add prawns and fry briefly, until they turn pink. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add remaining oil to pan, then add shallots and fry for 1 to 2 minutes until softened, but not browned. Stir in garlic, then pour in wine and cook until it has almost evaporated. Add tomatoes and their juice and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, breaking them up with a spatula to make a thick sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in basil leaves. Return prawns and any accumulated juices to pan and heat through gently. Serve immediately with rice.

Makes 2 servings.