Prawn Pasta with Balsamic-Marinated Tomatoes

I remember, long before I started cooking local, prawns were one of my splurge dishes. I'd buy half a pound of them and mix up a batch of cocktail sauce. Throw a lettuce leaf in the bottom of the bowl, arrange half a dozen prawns on top, and serve with a dollop of sauce.

I still love prawns that way, but I rarely buy them these days. It isn't always easy to get them local. The prawns that you see in the supermarkets in Puget Sound are often from as far away as Australia. If you want a local source, though, you can usually find spot prawns at the Fisherman's Terminal during the week. Spot prawns are a west coast treasure. They aren't exactly prawns, or shrimp, but are available all the way from Southern California to Vancouver.

This recipe can be thrown together in less than twenty minutes. I used some fantastic cherry tomatoes from my CSA and fresh basil from my garden. You could easily replace the prawns with some leftover cooked chicken if you don't like seafood or can't find prawns locally.

Prawn Pasta with Balsamic-Marinated Tomatoes

Serves 2

• 1/2-3/4 pound spot prawns
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• Balsamic vinegar
• Olive oil
• Linguini
• Fresh basil
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs (preferably Panko)

1. In a large bowl, marinate the cherry tomatoes in some balsamic vinegar and olive oil. You can also add some sea salt.
2. Meanwhile, mix the breadcrumbs with some olive oil and toast in a small skillet until golden brown.
3. Set a pot of water to boil and cook the pasta. If your prawns are uncooked, throw them in during the last 3-4 minutes of the pasta cooking.
4. Drain the pasta and prawns and toss with the tomato mixture, some fresh, chopped basil, and some sea salt. Add extra olive oil as needed.
5. Top with the toasted breadcrumbs.

Patricia's Notes: This is the perfect recipe for a weeknight dinner. You can also cook the tomatoes with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar for about 5 minutes until a few of the tomatoes burst to give the dish a softer texture. The breadcrumbs serve as a nice contrast to the pasta, however they are optional.