Chorizo Prawns (Camaron Con Chorizo)

Ingredients:

12 oz package of chorizo (as spicy as you like)
2 lbs jumbo gulf prawns
1 lbs thinly sliced Serrano Ham (prosciutto works just as well and is more readily available)

Directions:

Peel and de-vein prawn leaving tails on. While cutting the prawns to de-vein go ahead and butterfly them. Remove raw chorizo from casing, add to sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook chorizo for several minutes until it begins to boil in the center. Drain the chorizo over mesh strainer, place in a bowl and allow to cool.

Lay out 4 slices of Serrano, take 1 tablespoon of cooked chorizo and stuff into back of prawn. Lay stuffed prawn on one end of Serrano, roll tightly on to itself. Do this for all four prawns and repeat until all prawns are wrapped.

Place stuffed prawns on hot BBQ or non-stick sauté pan and cook for 3-4 minutes per side.

I prefer mine served with a Saffron Cream Reduction.

Saffron Cream Reduction

½ Cup Dry White Wine
Pinch of Saffron
1 Cup Heavy Cream
Salt to Taste

Pour Wine into Sauce Pan over medium heat, add saffron and allow saffron to bloom in wine. As the color of saffron bleeds in the wine it will become very yellow- this is good. Allow wine to reduce until just about gone and add cream; bring cream to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn cream down to a simmer and allow reducing by half, adding a pinch of salt just before serving.

Chef Frank Magaña