Rover's, Seattle, Washington
from Rover’s: Recipes from Seattle’s Chef in the Hat

This is one of the most elegant martinis you’ll ever come across. It contains a little splash of vodka to add some spirited flavor, but in this martini what really stars are delicate, sweet spot prawns. Most come from Alaska, but they are also harvested around the San Juan Islands as well. This recipe would also be delicious with slices of lobster tail or pieces of sweet Dungeness crabmeat in place of the spot prawns when they are not available. 

The recommended wine is Pol Roger 1993 Champagne Blanc de Blancs de Chardonnay, France. But of course!

3 tablespoons vodka 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper 1 large English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into medium dice 12 to 16 large spot prawns, peeled 1 tablespoon minced shallots 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives 1 ounce white sturgeon caviar Garnish Whole chives Fennel fronds Chervil sprigs

Whisk the vodka, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and the mustard together in a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper (I like a real good pinch of pepper here). Whisk well to blend. Add the cucumber and toss to evenly coat. Set aside to marinate while cooking the shrimp.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and swirl gently to coat the skillet. Add the spot prawns and sear well on both sides, about 1 minute total. Add the shallots and sauté until the shallots begin to soften, 1 minute longer. Remove the pan from the heat, add the chives, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss to mix well, then transfer the spot prawns to a plate to avoid overcooking.

Using a slotted spoon, scoop the dressed cucumber into 4 martini glasses (about 6-ounce volume) or small dishes. Add the shrimp to the cucumber bowl and toss to coat in the dressing. Top each cucumber salad with 3 or 4 spot prawns, curved side up, in a spoke pattern. Add a generous spoonful of caviar to the center and drizzle some of the remaining vodka dressing around the edge. Garnish with a scattering of chives, fennel fronds, and chervil.

Makes 4 servings