Yield: 4 Servings

Prawns:
• 20 whole prawns
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• 1 teaspoon dry Greek oregano
• 2 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• Zest of 2 lemons, finely grated
• Black pepper, freshly ground
• Coarse salt

Fava:
• 1 1/2 cups yellow split peas, dried, sorted and stones removed
• Sachet (cheesecloth filled with seasonings and aromatics and tied with kitchen string) containing ¼ onion, 4 cloves smashed garlic, 2 bay leaves, and 5 whole peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Black pepper, freshly ground
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 4 tablespoons for garnish
• 6 Tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• ¼ cup scallions, chopped (white and green parts)
• 4 Tablespoons capers
• 1 cup arugula, chopped

Method:
For prawns:
Peel shells from prawns to expose the meat, starting beneath the head and stopping just above the lowest portion of the tail.

To remove the veins, start at the base of the back of the head (where the flesh and the head meet), run the tip of a paring knife down to the lower portion of the tail, just to where it meets the shell. Remove the black vein using the knife tip and scrape away any other discoloration.
Rinse prawns under cold running water and drain on paper towels. Transfer prawns to a glass or other non-reactive baking dish and line them up side-by-side.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, garlic, oregano, parsley and zest. Pour over prawns, season with a few turns of freshly ground black pepper, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or preferably, overnight.

Prepare a charcoal grill to the white ash stage. Just before cooking, remove prawns from refrigerator. Scrape marinade from the prawns (your fingers are the best tool), allowing excess marinade to drip back into the dish, and transfer prawns to a platter. Reserve marinade separately.

Season prawns with salt and black pepper and place them on the grill. Watch the flames; if you see them getting too high, move prawns to a cooler spot on the grill. After 5 minutes, baste prawns with reserved marinade and turn over. Continue cooking (and watching flames) for another 3 minutes and baste again. After 2 minutes more, remove prawns from grill. The total cooking time should be 10 minutes. Serve 5 whole prawns per person with Greek Fava (recipe follows).

For fava:
Cover split peas with 3¼ cups water. Bring water to a boil, skim the impurities, and lower to a simmer. Add the sachet and cook over low to medium heat for 40 minutes, or until the water evaporates and peas thicken to a porridge. Add salt after 20 minutes. Stir peas frequently to avoid burning. When they reach the right consistency, remove pot from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Note: As water evaporates, be careful not to scorch the bottom of the pan. If the peas are not fresh, you may have to add water as they cook to thicken peas to proper consistency, so check water level during cooking.

Whip in ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide fava equally among serving plates, mounding it in the center of the plate. Top with scallions, capers, and prawns. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and lemon juice. Scatter arugula on top and serve.

Wine pairing:
A refreshing Greek white like the Skouras Megas Oenos Moschofilero 1999