Yield: 4 servings

Recipe courtesy Chef James Babian, Orchid at Mauna Lani, Hawaii

Ingredients:

Spiced Prawns

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon sambal, see note
Sea salt (preferably Hawaiian)
Freshly ground black pepper
12 Kauai or other prawns (about 1 1/2 pounds), shelled and deveined
2 tablespoons olive oil

Salad and Dressing

1/2 fresh vanilla bean
2 tablespoons mango puree, see note
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
Sea salt (preferably Hawaiian)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

8 ounces fresh hearts of palm, peeled and sauteed
1 mango, peeled and diced
1/4 pound baby arugula, washed
1 ounce mixed baby lettuces
12 fresh or frozen edamame (soy) beans, blanched and shucked
1 tomato, peeled and diced

4 prawn heads, seasoned and fried, for garnish, optional

Notes: Sambal is a spicy seasoning paste available in Asian markets and gourmet stores. Canned mango puree is available in Asian markets and gourmet stores. Alternatively, puree fresh mango in a blender or food processor.

Instructions:

1. To prepare the prawns: combine lemon juice, paprika and sambal in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add prawns, turning them in the marinade so they are well coated. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the prawns and cook, turning them once or twice, until they are opaque throughout, 4-8 minutes. Allow prawns to cool, then slice each in half lengthwise and reserve.
   
2. To make the dressing: scrape seeds from vanilla bean into a small bowl. Add mango puree. Gradually whisk in grapeseed oil and rice vinegar. Season with salt, pepper and ginger (alternatively grate the ginger into a clean towel then squeeze the juice into the dressing).
   
3. Arrange a 3-inch ring mold in the center of four plates. Put a fourth of the hearts of palm in each of the rings and gently press down. Cover each layer of palm with 3-4 tablespoons of diced mango and top with five prawn-halves, cut-side down. Combine arugula and baby greens in a medium bowl. Add dressing, salt and pepper and mix well.
   
4. Carefully lift ring molds off salads. Top each salad with greens.
   
5. Drizzle dressing around plates, garnish with edamame beans, diced tomato and fried shrimp heads (if using) and serve.

This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. Fine Living has not tested this recipe in the proportions indicated and therefore cannot make any representation as to the results.