Fire up the grill and make these delicious Grilled Prawn Tostadas with Tomato-Avocado Salsa & Cilantro-Lime Crema! This recipe features local spot prawns and a ton of seasonal summer vegetables including tomatoes and peppers. This is perfect for a small group or a large crowd as everyone can assemble their own tostadas!
This recipe features the 2019 Riesling from Free Form and was developed in collaboration with Okanagan Crush Pad.
Mexican Tostadas Made with Local Ingredients
There are tons of ways that you can make tostadas, but this version is perfect for summer. It is super light and refreshing, and uses lots of seasonal and local ingredients.
- For the tostada base, I used locally-made Maiiz Nixtamal tortillas. I fried the corn tortillas in oil to make a traditional crispy tostada, and then toasted them on the grill to impart lots of BBQ flavour.
- For the Tomato-Avocado Salsa, I used local BC-grown tomatoes, red onion, and jalapeno peppers, as well as cilantro from my backyard garden.
- For the grilled prawns I used local BC Spot Prawns from Finest At Sea in Victoria, BC. While we are just on the outskirts of spot prawn season, you can still find them frozen in some fish stores, or you can substitute them with local side-stripe shrimp!
Prep-Work Makes This Recipe Easy!
Prepping the different components of this recipe really makes this such an easy meal to whip together. If you are making the recipe all at once, follow the steps outlined in the recipe directions below. However, if you want to get ahead of the game and prep this recipe in advance for dinner (or a BBQ party), follow the order of these steps below.
Beginning of the Day
I like to prep the Tomato-Avocado Salsa first, along with the Cilantro-Lime Crema. The longer these two components sit, the more flavorful they become! It’s also a good time peel your prawns and set them in a container in the fridge. Additionally, this is the perfect time to shred your cabbage and prep your jalapenos for garnish — you can actually store them in the refrigerator in a container for 2-3 days!
I would not prep the salsa more than a day in advance as the avocado and tomato are likely to get mushy, but 4-6 hours before serving is totally fine!
30 Minutes Before Guests Arrive
The tostadas are the next item to prep and they are simply made by frying corn tortillas in oil. After frying for 30 seconds per side, they become nice and crisp (kind of like a nacho chip) and they will hold up, especially if you are going to toast them on the BBQ later.
I like to fry anything before guests arrive as it allows some time for the frying smell to dissipate, and you don’t have hot oil out around your guests!
Once Guests Arrive
The prawns are the last component of this recipe to make as they just need only 3 minutes to marinade. I like this short marinating time as it allows the prawns to absorb some of the seasoning, but you still can taste the flavour of the prawns themselves.
It’s fun to get guests involved in some cooking, and this is a great component of the recipe that they can make! Since the prawns have been prepped, all you (or your kitchen helper) have to do is to add the seasonings and let it marinade!
Refreshing Riesling- the Wine Pairing of Choice
A great wine to pair with this recipe is the Free Form Riesling from Garnet Valley Ranch in Summerland, BC. This wine is perfect for this recipe as it has a great acidity and a touch of fruity sweetness, without being too overwhelming on the palate. The subtle sweetness really pairs well with the prawns and all the spicy components of this recipe!
Get this wine for yourself at select liquor stores in BC, or shop online at Okanagan Crush Pad website.
Get the Recipe!
Grilled Prawn Tostadas with Tomato-Avocado Salsa & Cilantro-Lime Crema
Ingredients
For the Spot Prawns:
- 24 spot prawn tails shells and tails removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves finely grated
- 1 tablespoon lime zest finely grated
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Tomato-Avocado Salsa:
- 1 cup tomatoes seeds removed and finely diced (~2 medium tomatoes)
- 1 cup avocado finely diced
- ¼ cup jalapeños seeds and membranes removed (~1 large jalapeno)
- 2 tablespoons red onion finely diced
- 2 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon cilantro finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Cilantro Lime-Crema:
- 1 cup sour cream 14% fat
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped
For the Tostadas & Garnish:
- 2 cups canola oil for frying (or your preferred deep-frying oil)
- 8 corn tortillas 4” wide
- 2 cups red cabbage finely shredded
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves for garnish
- 8 slices fresh jalapeños for garnish
- 2 limes quartered, for garnish
Instructions
Marinade the Prawns:
- Begin by preparing the spot prawns. Add the prawns to a mixing bowl along with the olive oil, garlic, lime zest, spices, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine then place in the refrigerator to marinade for 30 minutes. While the prawns are marinading, prepare the Tomato-Avocado Salsa and Cilantro-Lime Crema.
For the Tomato-Avocado Salsa:
- Add all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix to combine. Taste and adjust the salt and lime juice if needed. Set aside.
For the Cilantro-Lime Crema:
- Add all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix to combine. Place in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the tostadas.
Fry the Tostadas:
- Heat the canola oil in a large pan and heat to 400 degrees F. Drop a corn tortilla into the oil. If it begins bubbling immediately, your oil is a good temperature. If the bubbles are slow to form, remove the corn tortilla and continue to heat the oil.
- Fry the tortillas for 30 seconds per side, until they become a light golden brown and become crisp. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel. Continue the process for the rest of the tortillas. Set aside.
Grill the Prawns:
- Heat a grill to 400 degrees F. Once hot, place the prawns on the grill and cook for 1-2 minutes per side, or until the prawns turn pink and opaque. Remove the prawns from the grill and set aside.
- Add the crisp tostadas to the grill and cook for 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown. This step is optional, but it adds lots of grilled flavour to the tostadas.
Assemble & Serve:
- To assemble to tostadas. Place 1 teaspoon of Cilantro-Lime Crema on the base of a tostada. Top with ¼ cup of shredded red cabbage, 2 tablespoons of Tomato-Avocado Salsa, and three grilled spot prawns. Repeat this process for the rest of the tostadas.
- Place the tostadas on a platter and garnish the tostadas with extra cilantro leaves, sliced jalapeños, and lime wedges. Serve with a glass of chilled Free Form Riesling and enjoy!
