B.C. spot prawns good for taste, sustainability, columnist says

British Columbians' love for spot prawns isn't a shrimpy one.

For example, take the fact that the Spot Prawn Festival is coming to Vancouver this weekend for the 10th year to celebrate the local delicacy.

On The Coast food columnist Gail Johnson says spot prawns are a great local delicacy, especially compared to those imported from overseas.

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"[Spot prawns] are a sustainable species. They are in a tightly controlled fishery, which is why the season is so short," she told On The Coast host Stephen Quinn.

"Much of the farmed shrimp that is imported from developing nations in Southeast Asia and Latin America is produced in a way that is terrible for the environment. Many tropical coastlines and mangroves have been destroyed in their production."

In addition, the Associated Press uncovered the widespread use of slave labour in the harvesting of prawns overseas.

Many ways toenjoy them

Sustainability and human rights concerns are two reasons to love spot prawns, Johnson says, but another reason is they taste great.

They're sweet and succulent, she says, with a texture like lobster. Those qualities make them a valuable product for B.C., with over 90 percent of the commercial catch consumed in Asia.

So if you want to enjoy some at home, Johnson saysChef Ryan Bissell, who is helping put on the Spot Prawn Festival, has a few suggestions.

"First off, you can eat the tail meat raw. Just break it off and have a little appetizer while you'recooking the prawns themselves," Johnson said. "To cook them, Chef Bissell likes them wok-fried with shell on, or you could do your own boil. They only take about 20 to 30 seconds to cook. They should be medium rare to rare."

"When they're done cooking, Bissell says to toss them with Old Bay spice, a bit of butter and parsleyand just crack them and eat them immediately."

Johnson says you can add potatoes and corn and then dump everything on newspaper right in themiddle of the table and dig in.

You could also barbecue them with salt and pepper, or eat them in a pasta (like a prawn saltimbocca) or prepare them with chorizo sausage.

With files from CBC Radio One's On The Coast