Chipotle Prawn and Pineapple Salad

A quick and delicious summer lunch with smoky chipotle seasoned prawn tails, tropical pineapple pieces, charred cumin corn, avocado and a creamy yoghurt dressing.

Chipotle Prawn and Pineapple Salad

Recipe

Ready in: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Tip: If you can’t find chipotle paste, any spicy, smoky flavoured hot sauce will work with this recipe. Alternatively, combine Spanish smoked paprika and chilli sauce.

INGREDIENTS

500g large peeled prawn tails

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

2 tsp chipotle paste

3 limes

1/2 pineapple, peeled and roughly cubed

1/2 red onion, diced

2 serrano chillies, seeded and sliced

10g coriander leaves, roughly chopped

10g basil leaves, roughly chopped

2 discs feta cheese

60g baby herb leaves

1 avocado, sliced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Charred cumin lime corn:

2 ears of corn, cut off the cob

1 Tbsp butter

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 lime

Salt 

Crema dressing:

1/3 cup plain yoghurt

1/3 cup egg mayonnaise

Zest of 1/2 a lime

1/2 lime

Salt

METHOD

1. Start by making the charred cumin corn. Melt a tablespoon of butter in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and cook the corn for about 3 minutes or until lightly charred.

2. Stir in the cumin and fry for a further minute. Squeeze over the lime juice, remove the corn from the heat and leave to cool.

3. In the meantime, combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice and zest in a bowl and season to taste with salt. Refrigerate until needed.

4. Heat the olive oil and butter in a frying pan over a high heat and cook the prawns for 2 to 3 minutes or until they start to turn pink. 

5. Stir in the chipotle paste and cook for a further minute. Squeeze over the juice of 1 lime and remove from the heat.

6. In a bowl, combine the pineapple, red onion, chillies, coriander, basil and charred corn. Crumble in the feta cheese and toss to combine. 

7. Using individual bowls or a serving platter, arrange the salad by placing the baby herb leaves down as a base. Top with the pineapple salsa, smoky chipotle prawns and slices of avocado. 

8. Serve with the zesty crema dressing and fresh limes.

Food styling for Get It Joburg North magazine.

Photographed by Elsa Niemoller.

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