Barbecued seafood with gochujang butter sauce

This makes a great meal with some steamed rice, lettuce leaves, gochujang (Korean hot bean paste), kimchi and sliced onions. Sandwich the seafood and condiments between the lettuce and finish by spooning the sauce and leftovers on the rice – so tasty. Gochujang will keep in the fridge and is great added to stir-fries. I also like to add soy sauce, sugar, vinegar and sesame oil to make a wonderful dressing for seafood. Once you have it in the house, you will be addicted.

12 clams

2 Moreton Bay bugs

8 raw king prawns, shells on

2 Hiramasa kingfish fillets or mahi mahi fillets, halved

8 meaty scallops, roe removed

sea salt

extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

12 mussels, hairy beards removed, scrubbed clean

For the gochujang butter sauce

150g unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tbsp gochujang (Korean hot bean paste)

2 tbsp Korean soy sauce

2 tbsp lime juice

1. Soak the clams in cold water for 15 minutes, then drain and rinse well.

2. Preheat a well-oiled and clean barbecue on high heat. Have a tray ready to hold all the seafood once each type is cooked.

3. Using a sharp knife, split the bugs in half lengthways and devein. Split the prawns in half lengthways and devein.

4. Season the bugs, prawns, fish and scallops with sea salt and drizzle with a little olive oil. Place the bugs and prawns on the barbecue, cut side down, with the fish, scallops, mussels and clams. After one minute, turn the prawns and scallops, cook for one more minute, then remove from the barbecue. The bugs will take about six minutes; turn them halfway through. The mussels and clams are ready when the shells open, after three or four minutes (discard any that don't open).

5. Grill the fish pieces on both sides until just cooked through, about four minutes. Keep the seafood somewhere warm while you quickly make the sauce.

6. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in the gochujang, soy sauce and lime juice.

7. Divide up all the seafood, spoon the sauce over the seafood and serve.

Note: If the clams are packaged and prewashed there is no need to soak them – just remove them from the packet and rinse.

Pasta with prawns and pesto. Photo: Supplied

Spaghettini with prawns, basil, parsley and pistachios

I find this a sublime combination of flavours. Another way to serve this is to chop the prawns and saute them quickly, then serve with penne.

1 garlic clove

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 large handful basil leaves

1 large handful flat-leaf (Italian)
parsley leaves

1 small handful mint leaves

75g roasted unsalted pistachio nuts

1 tbsp finely grated parmesan cheese

1 tbsp lemon juice

60ml extra virgin olive oil

freshly ground black pepper

400g dried spaghettini

500g peeled raw king prawns

1. In a mortar, pound the garlic and half the sea salt into a paste with a pestle. Add the basil, parsley and mint and continue to pound until the herbs break down and form a thick paste. Add half the pistachios and work them in well so the paste has a creamy texture. Roughly chop the remaining pistachios and stir through the paste with the parmesan, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with more salt if required and add a grind of black pepper.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the spaghettini and cook until al dente, a minute or so less than the packet directions.

3. Place a heavy-based frying pan over high heat with the remaining olive oil. Pan-fry the prawns for 1 minute on each side, then season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Remove from the heat.

4. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Immediately tip the pasta back into the pan, add the herb paste, cooked prawns and some of the reserved cooking water if needed and toss to combine.

5. Tip onto a large, deep plate and serve immediately.

Recipes and images from Neil Perry's Good Cooking, Murdoch Books, RRP $49.99.