Serves 6
Base
50g Japanese breadcrumbs
2 baby fennel bulbs
juice of 1-2 lemons
60g watercress sprigs
2 ruby grapefruit, cut into segments
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
24 cooked prawns, peeled and deveined with tails intact
1 large avocado, quartered then sliced into 5mm slices
Dressing
600ml ruby grapefruit juice, strained
¼ cup verjuice
1 heaped tablespoon brown sugar
100ml grapeseed oil
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of ¼ lemon
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
To make the ruby grapefruit dressing, put the grapefruit juice, verjuice and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture reduces to 250ml (1 cup).
Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly, then whisk in the combined oils.
Adjust the seasoning with sea salt, black pepper and lemon juice. Add extra sugar if necessary, to taste, and depending on the grapefruit.
The dressing can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs, season with a little sea salt and black pepper, then toast in the hot pan, tossing frequently so they are toasted evenly. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
Shave the baby fennel thinly, then immediately place into a bowl of water and lemon juice to prevent it from discolouring. Drain then pat dry with paper towels.
In a mixing bowl, toss the fennel, watercress, grapefruit segments, red onion and half the breadcrumbs with enough ruby grapefruit to moisten.
To serve, arrange half the prawns and avocado over the base of each serving plate. Top with a handful of watercress salad, then the remaining prawns and avocado.
Finish with another handful of the salad on top, ensuring the grapefruit segments are distributed evenly among the serving plates. Sprinkle over the remaining breadcrumbs and drizzle a little of the dressing around the plate.
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