Viva Lewes June 2015 Issue #105

food
Tiger Prawn Salad with Spiced Syrup
Ross Pavey shows us how to dish up a quick but delicious
prawn and Parma ham salad, with a spicy wine syrup
Many know Ross Pavey from his time as chef at the superb Moonrakers in Alfriston, but he grew
up in Lewes. We visit him in his Seaford café/restaurant, Salt & Sea, where he shows us how to
cook a hot prawn salad. “I was born in Zimbabwe, which most people are aware is a difficult country
now, but it was back then too. My sister and I were driven to school by my mum, who had to
carry a gun on her lap. We moved to Lewes, and my folks still live on the Nevill. I went to Priory,
but I hated school. I became a landscape gardener, but hurt my back, so I fell into cooking – my
first job was in the kitchen at The Shelleys when Graham Cole was manager. My neighbour was
head chef. I also worked at Circa and the Long Room. I try to cook what’s local and in season, but
one thing that’s tricky is that local producers won’t always deliver. I sometimes put on curry or fish
nights here, and for one fish night, I created an elaborate dish involving tiger prawns and pancetta.
I decided to simplify the recipe to serve in my café, and this is what I came up with. You pre-cook
the prawns, so they’re warm, and you can make the spiced syrup dressing in advance.”
Spiced syrup recipe
Put 50g caster sugar, 75g soft brown sugar,
125ml red wine vinegar, 75ml port, 75ml red
wine, half a vanilla pod (seeds scraped out),
one star anise, a lime leaf (Pestle and Mortar
in the Needlemakers sell these, but if you can’t
get one, use the zest of a lime), four cardamom
pods, two white pepper corns, half tsp fennel
seeds, three cloves and one small cinnamon
stick in a pan, heat slowly, and reduce until a
light syrup has formed. Let this steep for 20
minutes then pass through a fine sieve.
Ingredients for one bowl of salad
Ten raw peeled tiger prawns (baked in an oven
at 200c, about five minutes until cooked – I buy
mine from Paul’s Plaice next door)
100g baby mixed leaf salad, about six brazil
nuts, roughly chopped, a handful of dried cranberries,
ten sun blushed tomatoes, three slices
of Parma ham. Salt and pepper (I use Maldon
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper).
Wash salad leaves, place on plate/shallow bowl,
place all the other ingredients in a separate
bowl and toss in a little oil (I use rapeseed oil)
and place on the salad leaves. Season, but not
much salt, as the ham is quite salty, then drizzle
over the cooled syrup (I use a lot!).
I also sometimes add a granny smith apple,
chopped up, and a handful of watercress to this
salad.” As told to Emma Chaplin.
Salt & Sea, 2 Dane Road, Seaford. Closed Sun-
Tues. 01323 872380
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