Saturday was possibly one of the most exciting days of my foodie blogging life! My very lovely friend, Nina Squire, invited me along to the filming of the advert for Macmillan’s new fundraising event, Summer Lights, of which she is the very beautiful star! If this wasn’t exciting enough, Nina shared The Foodie’s Way with the wonderful people at Macmillan, who very kindly asked me to create some recipes for the day. I designed several tasty salads and snacks, of which this is the first: my chilli king prawn and mango salad.
This salad incorporates some of my favourite flavours: chilli, lime, king prawns, mango, coriander…total exotic summer deliciousness! There is nothing of the sad, limp lettuce leaves about this little number. Bright red cabbage and little green sugar snap peas give a wonderful crunch, contrasting delightfully with the silky, smooth mango. The coriander and Thai basil give a beautiful, evocative fragrance, while the chilli, lime juice and ginger in the dressing delivers a real bite. Alongside juicy, chargrilled king prawns and topped with a sprinkling of crushed cashew nuts, this really is a very special salad.
This salad wasn’t the only special thing present on Saturday. Macmillan is a fabulous charity and I know how important their involvement has been to Nina during her cancer diagnosis and treatment. It was a real blessing to be able to support, in some small way, the wonderful work Macmillan do through The Foodie’s Way.
Macmillan’s Summer Lights fundraiser is happening officially on 25th June 2016, but you can get together on any other day around this time. Summer Lights is a wonderful, glittery way of getting together with family and friends and hosting an afternoon or evening with lights, candles and tasty food and drink.
Through holding this event, you will be supporting the amazing work that Macmillan do:
“When you stand together with the people that light up your life, you’re standing together with everyone affected by cancer, so we can continue to support each other. You could help fund Macmillan nurses so they can provide comfort and clarity from the moment of diagnosis, throughout treatment and beyond.”
(Taken from the Summer Lights)
Our April filming of ‘Summer Lights’ felt decidedly more ‘Winter Frost,’ but even the biting cold could not diminish the fun, laughter and enjoyment of such a special gathering of Nina’s family and friends. I also have so much respect for the amazing film crew, who work tirelessly for incredibly long hours in all weathers. They literally work magic, and I can’t wait to see the finished advert – transforming our chilly day into a glorious summer’s evening! I know it will be beautiful!
I would wholeheartedly encourage you to host your own Macmillan Summer Lights event. You can do so by clicking here to register and receive your Summer Lights kit.
I must also say how incredibly beautiful the cottage was where we filmed. The owners, Bob and Sue, were two of the most lovely people you could hope to meet. Their gorgeous, 18th century cottage, Michaelmas House, is located in Holt, Wimborne, and is available to rent on Airbnb. I would definitely recommend it for a gorgeous break away!
Hopefully all of The Foodie’s Way recipes created for Summer Lights will appear on their Inspiration Page in the next couple of weeks. If you decide to host a Summer Lights event I would love to hear how it goes, and all about the delicious food you make for it!
- 600g raw king prawns
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp lime juice
- salt and pepper, to taste
- lime wedges, to serve
- 100g sugar snap peas
- ¼ of a small red cabbage, finely sliced
- 4 spring onions, sliced
- large handful coriander
- large handful Thai basil
- 1 mango, peeled and sliced
- 50g cashew nuts, chopped
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
- juice and zest of 2 limes
- 2 tsp Thai fish sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- Firstly, prepare the king prawns. Add the garlic, chilli, oil, lime and salt and pepper to a large bowl and mix well. Add the king prawns and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Cook the sugar snap peas in boiling water for a couple of minutes, then drain and refresh under cold water. Set aside until cool, then place in a large bowl.
- Add the red cabbage and spring onions to the bowl. Chop the coriander and tear the Thai basil leaves, and add both to the bowl. Mix gently with your hands. Stir through the mango slices, then arrange the salad on a serving dish.
- Next, prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, add the chilli, ginger, lime juice and zest, Thai fish sauce and sesame oil. Mix together well. Drizzle over the prepared salad and top with the chopped cashew nuts.
- Take the marinated king prawns from the fridge and thread onto bamboo skewers. Heat a griddle pan to a high heat and cook the prawn skewers for 2 minutes on each side or until the prawns are cooked through. Serve with the lime wedges alongside the mango salad
Leave a Reply