Coconut shrimps, spicy mussels and smoked rib bites
- Prepare
- overnight
- Cook
- over 2 hours
- Serve
- Serves 2
This hot and spicy platter is what Matt calls 'big easy stuff'. Deep-fried seafood, buttery mussels in hot sauce and slow-cooked barbecue pork belly ribs.
Ingredients
For the rib marinade
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 3 tbsp soft brown sugar
- 200ml/7fl oz apple juice, plus extra for steaming (optional)
- 1 tbsp liquid smoke
For the smoked rib bites
- 1 thick pork belly rib on the bone, cut into 2.5–5cm/1–2in pieces
- 100ml/3½fl oz best quality barbecue sauce
- 1 tbsp pickled chillies, to serve
For the coconut shrimps
- vegetable oil, for deep frying
- 60g/2¼oz plain flour
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 50g/1¾oz desiccated coconut
- 30g/1oz panko breadcrumbs
- 3 free-range eggs, beaten
- 6 tiger prawn tails
For the chipotle mayo
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp soured cream
- 2–3 tbsp chipotle paste
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
For the mussels
- 40g/1½oz unsalted butter
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 banana shallots, peeled and sliced
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 1kg/2lb 4oz mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 25ml/1fl oz cider vinegar
- 100ml/3½fl oz wheat beer
- 50–100ml/2–3½fl oz hot pepper sauce
- 1 beef tomato, chopped
- 1 red chilli, sliced
- 50ml/2fl oz double cream
Method
To make the rib marinade, mix all of the ingredients, except the apple juice and liquid smoke, in a bowl.
To make the ribs, toss the ribs in the dry marinade in a large bowl and chill overnight in the fridge.
Two hours before cooking, add the apple juice and liquid smoke to the marinating ribs. Toss well together and leave for 2 hours in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3.
Transfer the ribs in the marinade to a roasting tray. Add some water or apple juice to the tray, tightly cover with kitchen foil and roast for around 2 hours.
Remove the foil and check the ribs are soft. Brush with the barbecue sauce.
Turn the oven up to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Cook the ribs for 30 minutes, or until dark and sticky.
To make the coconut shrimps, preheat a deep fat fryer. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
Mix the flour, garlic powder, pepper, salt and paprika in a wide bowl.
Mix the coconut and breadcrumbs in a separate wide bowl.
Place the beaten eggs in another separate wide bowl.
Dip the prawns in the flour mixture, then in the eggs and then in the breadcrumb mixture.
Deep fry the prawns until golden, this will take 2–3 minutes. Transfer to kitchen paper to drain. Plate up and scatter with the parsley.
To make the chipotle mayo, mix all of the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper. Serve alongside the prawns, with the lemon wedges.
To make the mussels, heat the butter in a saucepan.
Fry the garlic, shallot and thyme for 2–3 minutes.
Discard any mussels with broken shells and any that refuse to close when tapped. Add the mussels to the pan and pour in the vinegar and beer. Place the lid on and steam the mussels for a few minutes, or until open. Discard any mussels that remain closed.
Add the hot sauce, tomato, chilli and cream. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve the coconut shrimps with the mayonnaise alongside the spicy mussels and the rib bites with the pickled chillies and soured cream.
