Sweet and delicious, B.C. spot prawns are arguably Vancouver’s favourite sustainable local seafood.
B.C. spot prawns has long been exported to Japan as a delicacy but times have changed.
In 2006, Steve Johansen of Organic Ocean teamed up with C Restaurant’s Chef Robert Clark to create the first B.C. Spot Prawn Festival. Since then, spot prawns have become a beloved and integral part of Vancouver cuisine. The annual Vancouver Spot Prawn Festival, organized by the Chefs’ Table Society, is a must-visit event.
Many Vancouver restaurants have added B.C. spot prawns to their menus. Vancouver Food Tour was invited by C Restaurant to watch the 1st catch of BC spot prawns come into the docks. Of course, we sampled some of these beauties as well.
As the boats pulled in, colourful small bites were passed around the airy patio. Spot prawn with yuzu jelly, quail’s egg topped with truffle aioli and crispy bacon and watermelon with crispy basil were all winners.
Some of the spot prawns were prepared by a simple toss in a hot pan with garlic, white wine, lemon and butter. They were oceany, tender, and impossibly fresh.
In my opinion, the best way to enjoy BC spot prawns is by cooking them whole with the heads on. Don’t forget to suck the heads to enjoy the briny essence.
To store spot prawns, detach the heads from the bodies and immediately freeze or refrigerate them. They will stay fresh for a week in the fridge.
The BC spot prawn season peaks during May-June so be sure to get your hands on some soon.
About the author: Sean Neild is always hungry and blogs at seanadventuresinflavortown.com and on the Food Network’s hit show Eat St’s blog . Find him on twitter @YVRBCbro .
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