Sabta Barbara Spot Prawns and Scallops
Photo Santa Monica Seafood
Our local spot prawns are one of the crown jewels of the local seafood. Here is an LA Times story about the shrimp. They were "discovered" back in the 1980s by the local fisherman and I was delighted to have them to cook at my restaurant, Michael's Waterside. The shrimp became very popular and soon large trawlers were harvesting tons of the shrimp. The State Fish and Game eventually controlled the harvest to avoid a collapse of the fishery. Now they are periodically available in small amounts.
In this preparation is used green and white asparagus as a foil for the seafood. The prawns had eggs so those served as a garnish. The sauce was a quick fumet made from the shells, finished with a little butter.
Chef Michael Hutchings
