Mini Prawn Taco Bites

I have the most wonderful dressing gown, it is a super fleecy affair. I love it, it is super warm, super soft and oh so snuggly.  It is also baby pink, so much so that whenever I am wearing it Stew calls me a little pink marshmallow. I don’t care, it is too warm for me to care. I don’t kid myself, I know it isn’t stylish, even I have to admit that I look like a giant pink blob. Think the Michelin Man but in pink 😉

I love it, I wear it every day. Being fleece it dries super fast so I can wash it during the day and still wear it in the evening. The poor thing is starting to show signs of wear, kind of like an old teddy bear. You know the one, the most loved, most cuddled and most carried about bear, his fur is flat, his stuffing isn’t plump and he has a soft clean patch under his arm. Mr 3 has such a bear, well a panda, aptly named Panda. He is the most cared about panda teddy in the world, everyone knows Panda, he goes everywhere, and I have to say, it shows. He is so worn out that I worry about washing him, which is a very traumatic experience anyway, I have to time it just so, making sure that he has time to dry during Mr 3’s afternoon tv time. And then there is the dreaded “where’s panda?” I don’t know who is more panicked, me or him. I run around like a crazy lady until panda is discovered. The other day he was under the patio table and yesterday he was in the sandpit. He is a very well travelled and much loved bear.

And my baby pink dressing gown is starting to look the same, the fluff isn’t as fluffy, the sleeves are going bare, but it is still so soft and warm, that I have continued to wear it daily…….Until today, when I put on my warm fluffy friend and within 5 minutes I had to take it off. I was too hot. The first day of spring and the winter dressing gown is going away, along with my fluffy black slippers. My winter warmers are no longer needed (well fingers crossed).

Spring is here, we had a beautiful day today and to mark the start of spring and the sight of sunshine, Mr 3 and I had mini prawn taco bites for lunch. Actually I had mini prawn taco bites for lunch, Mr 3 had mini ham taco bites as he won’t eat prawns.

These little mouthful of yum are perfect. Probably more of a canapé, appetiser or entrée than a lunch but I just ate a plate full and called it lunch 😉

The prawns are baked in the oven with a delicious hit of spice, the avocado cools the heat, the crisp lettuce and coriander adds a freshness whilst the tiny taco bite holds the whole thing together and allows you to deposit the amazing mix into your mouth in one perfect, delicious, mouthful.

To make the taco bites I use homemade flour tortillas and cut them into circles before baking them in mini muffin tins. It sounds like a hassle but it was all very simple and I promise you these babies are worth it. The tortilla wraps cut best when they are cold and straight from the pack, but I find that if you heat them after they are cut they are more malleable and will push into the muffin tin without cracking. The mini muffin tin gives you a perfect small bite. But I am sure if you could use a standard muffin tin and get bites rather than mini bites. Just don’t try to eat them whole 😉

I get 7 circles out of each wrap, but depending on the size of your wrap you may need an extra one. And again if you are using a standard muffin tin, then you will need a bigger cookie cutter and more wraps, probably more prawns too, but then I love prawns!

Honestly these were perfect and when I had finished I was left wishing I had made double.

INGREDIENTS

Makes 14 taco bites

• 2 soft flour tortilla wraps
• 14 large raw prawns
• up to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (I used the extra hot one)
• Salt
• Garlic oil (Or normal olive oil)
• 1/2 avocado
• 4-5 leaves of iceberg lettuce
• small bunch of coriander
• 1 lime

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan forced/Gas Mark 6
2. Using a 6cm circular cookie cutter, cut 7 disks out of a cold tortilla wrap. Repeat with the second wrap. Using a dry frying pan heat the disks until they are soft and malleable, don’t crisp them, you just want them warm. (alternatively heat in a microwave for 10 seconds)
3. Carefully push each disk into a hole in the muffin tin and bake for 5 minutes until crisp.
4. Meanwhile, de-vein the prawns and lay out on a lined baking sheet. Brush each prawn with garlic oil and sprinkle over the cayenne pepper and season with salt. You want a light sprinkling of cayenne on each prawn, rather than a heavy dusting.
5. Place the prawns in the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes until pink and cooked through.
6. Finely shred the lettuce, chop the coriander and mix together.
7. Chop the avocado and spritz with lime.
8. When your prawns are cooked, assemble your bite.
9. Lettuce and coriander, avocado, spiced prawn.
10. Take to the table and let everyone taste and praise your mini taco perfection, or if you are Mr 3 and I demolish together in a happy silence.