Baked Prawns with Vegetables and Haloumi (gf)

This popular dish is served as a hot mezze or for lunch with a bitter leaf salad. Traditionally cooked in an earthenware pot, ramekin dishes are a suitable option. Serve with crusty bread.

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

1 each red and green capsicum, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon caraway seeds, toasted

½ teaspoon chilli flakes

sea salt and ground pepper

2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses

400 gram tin crushed Italian tomatoes

small handful basil leaves, ripped

400 grams large, peeled raw prawns, (I allow 5 prawns per person)

100 grams haloumi cheese, grated Preheat the grill to its highest setting.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, capsicums, garlic and spices with a good pinch of salt and cook for 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the pomegranate molasses, tomatoes and basil and bring to the boil. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add the prawns to the sauce and cook for about 8 minutes, or until they’re just cooked through. Divide the prawns and sauce evenly among 4 individual baking dishes or tip into one large baking dish and scatter over the haloumi then a grind of pepper.

Place under the grill until the cheese has melted and is golden in places.

Serve hot with lots of crusty bread. SERVES 4

Cook’s note: Haloumi doesn’t melt into a bubbling mass like mozzarella but is still very delicious. The salty cheese is perfect with the prawns and tomato-based sauce.