Jono & Jules do food & wine

It’s a very long time since we’ve had a pub lunch but if we could have one we’d probably order something like this!

Wine Suggestion: A classic combination like this cries out for a Muscadet. Domaine de la Chauviniere’s is super-fresh and almost saline, dry but soft and approachable with hints of grapefruits and melon with a green edge. It has a good body without any weight, so effortless next to this dish.

Prawns, soda bread and lemon mayonnaise – serves 4

FOR THE SODA BREAD:

• 1 handful of oats
• 375g plain flour
• 10g salt
• 7g bicarbonate of soda
• 300ml buttermilk

FOR THE LEMON MAYONNAISE:

• 2 egg yolks
• a pinch of salt
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• 400ml sunflower oil

FOR THE PRAWNS:

• 4 litres of iced water
• 7 tbsp salt
• 1kg shell-on prawns
• bay leaves (optional), scrunched a bit
• lots of ice

Preheat the oven to 180C/160 fan/Gas 4.

Start by making the soda bread. Dust a baking tray with a few oats.

Sift the plain flour into a large bowl with the salt and bicarbonate of soda. Make a well in the centre and gradually pour in the buttermilk, gently turning the mixture over in the bowl with a large metal spoon. You need it all to come together in a sticky mass that you can form into dough but try not to mix it too much.

Lightly flour a work surface and tip the dough onto it. Shape into a round and slash a deep cross in the top. Put the loaf on the baking tray and sprinkle the top with a few more oats.

Bake for about 35 minutes, or until crisp all over and it should sound hollow when you tap the bottom. Cool on a wire rack while you make the mayonnaise.

Use a whisk to combine the egg yolks, a pinch of salt and the mustard in a bowl and season with a little pepper. Start adding the oil, just a few drops at a time, whisking into the egg mixture. Very slowly increase the amount of oil that you add each time, whisking thoroughly after each addition. When the mayonnaise has started to hold it’s shape you can add the oil in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly.

When all of the oil has been added, you should have a thick, wobbly mayonnaise. Add lemon zest and juice to taste and season again salt and plenty of black pepper.

Pour the iced water into a bowl and season with 4 tbsp of salt.

Bring 4 litres of water to the boil in a large saucepan, then add 3 tbsp of salt. Add the prawns to the boiling water and bring back to the boil. Cook for about 2 minutes or until bright pink and just cooked.

Drain and tip the prawns immediately into the iced water. Leave for 10 minutes, until very nicely chilled. You may need to add more ice if it melts. Drain the prawns and serve with the bread and lemon mayonnaise.

(Original recipe from Home Cookery Year by Claire Thompson, Quadrille, 2020.)