Lime Kelp Prawns with Sea Lettuce Soba Noodle Salad

For something a little lighter after all that Christmas food! Although this is probably more appealing to those in the Southern Hemisphere enjoying sunny warm days rather than those in the Northern Hemisphere. If like my family in the UK you are snowed in you will probably prefer something heartier than a noodle salad but perhaps keep it in mind for next summer. I image many people in the UK will be whipping up a turkey meal from the leftovers of the monster bird cooked on Christmas day? I have only attempted once to cook a turkey in NZ for Christmas after feeling rather homesick for a traditional dinner… never again, it was so hot in the kitchen baking the dam bird I just didn’t feel like eating it afterwards. This year we had Rick Steins scallops on a smoked pepper salad, rabbit in a sherry sauce and for dessert a black forest trifle. What did you all have for Christmas lunch?

Ingredients – serves 4 main or 6 entree

200g soba noodles
16-18 large prawns
1 cup Pacific Harvest Sea Lettuce
1 tsp Pacific Harvest Lime Kelp
1 tbsp Pacific Harvest Dulse Flakes
3 spring onions
1 red pepper
100g needle mushrooms or any readily available mushroom (thinly sliced if not using needle mushrooms)
2 tsp sesame oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
handful fresh parsley leaves
handful fresh coriander leaves
salt & pepper for seasoning
4 tbsp olive oil

Method

Half fill a medium size pan with water then bring to the boil.
Place sea lettuce & dulse flakes in a sift and dip into the boiled water and allow to soak for 2 minutes. Remove from water then strain and cool. Place in a large bowl.
Add the soba noodles to the boiling water and cook for 4-6 minutes or until al dente, on a low simmer. Drain noodles, then run briefly under cold water to cool them and drain again. Place in same bowl as sea lettuce.
Thinly slice the red pepper and spring onion and add to the bowl with noodles, sea lettuce & dulse.
Briefly fry the mushrooms in a frying pan with a little oil, then add to the bowl with above ingredients.
To make the salad dressing take a large mortar & pestle and grind the parsley & coriander leaves. Add the lemon juice, sesame oil and 2 tbsp olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt & pepper and grind further until you get a lovely green paste. Add 2 more tbsp olive oil and grind again. If you don’t have a mortar & pestle you can use a blender, whiz stick.
Add the dressing to the bowl with the noodles and toss through to coat all the ingredients. Divide the noodle salad between four serving bowls/plates.
In a small bowl add 1 tbsp olive oil & 1 tsp lime kelp. Coat the prawns with this mixture.
In a cast iron or non stick frying pan fry the prawns on each side till pink and just cooked through (approx 1 min each side). Arrange prawns on top of the cold noodle salad and serve.

Note, the salad can be prepared in advance and kept in the fridge several hours prior to serving. The prawns can be served hot or cold.