Barbecued Prawns with Charred Vegetables and Crispy Chickpeas

Method

1. Place the grilling basket on the barbecue and preheat it for direct cooking over high heat (500°F-550°F) with the lid closed for 15 minutes.
2. Drain and thoroughly dry the chickpeas. In a bowl, combine them with 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and red wine vinegar, a pinch of black pepper, the dried oregano, and capers. Toss to coat, then transfer to the grilling basket. Cook with the lid down for 8 minutes, or until golden and crisp, shaking the basket occasionally. Remove and set aside.
3. While the chickpeas cook, prepare the basil aioli. In a pestle and mortar, crush the basil leaves into a paste. Squeeze in the juice from half a lemon, add ½ tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and mix well. Stir in the garlic mayonnaise and spoon into a serving bowl.
4. On a large serving platter, drizzle 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar. Season with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Thinly slice the remaining half lemon and the fennel bulbs into wedges. Trim the spring onions, broccolini, and asparagus, halving any thicker stalks. Grill these vegetables over direct high heat with the lid down for 5 minutes, or until charred and tender, turning halfway. Transfer the grilled vegetables to the platter and toss with the dressing. Finely slice the chilli and scatter it over, along with the crispy chickpeas. You can roughly chop the spring onions or leave them whole.
5. Peel the prawns, leaving the tails and heads attached. Make a shallow cut down the back of each prawn (butterfly them) and remove the dark vein. Season with salt, finely grate the zest from the remaining lemon, and squeeze over its juice. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss to coat. Thread the prawns onto 2 large metal skewers (or one double-pronged skewer). Grill with the lid down for 6 minutes, or until pink and cooked through, turning halfway. Serve the prawns alongside the vegetable and chickpea platter, with the basil aioli and lemon wedges for squeezing.