Garlic prawns Recipes

Ingredients

10 large green tiger prawns, peeled

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons crushed garlic

200 ml thickened cream

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Method:

1. remove the vein from the back of the prawn by slicing with a knife and scraping out the dark waste tract running the length of the prawn. you can also remove the head of the prawn if you like—if you do, refer to hints and tips.

2. heat the olive oil and butter in a sauté pan. When the butter begins to foam, add the prawns and cook for 1 minute either side. remove from the pan and set aside.

3. add the garlic to the pan and sauté without colouring for 30 seconds then add the cream. simmer, and reduce the cream by one-third. return the prawns to the sauce for 2 minutes, remove from the heat, stir in the parsley and serve.

HINTS AND TIPS:

* You will need—cutting board, cook’s knife, paring knife, spoon and liquid measures, sauté pan, tongs and wooden spoon.

* When talking prawns, ‘green’ refers to them being raw, not their colour. Green prawns can be purchased whole or already peeled and any shop selling seafood knows this term.

* It is worth investing in steel soap (a piece of stainless steel in the shape of a soap ‘bar’); it never wears down and it removes the smell of seafood, garlic and onion from your hands without stripping them.

* If you do remove the prawn heads, you can add them to a fish stock, or freeze them for when you get around to making the stock. This can be made with 1 onion (roughly chopped), 1 carrot (roughly chopped),

1 celery stick (roughly chopped), 1 kg fish heads or bones, 1 cup dry white wine, 12 peppercorns, 1 bay leaf and enough water to cover in a large pot. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer for 1 hour. Strain and either use straightaway or freeze in various-sized containers so you don’t have to defrost the lot and waste any.

* Fresh green prawns should be consumed the day they are purchased or defrosted; after 24 hours although still edible, they tend to oxidize and blacken.

* Fresh green prawns are best but the frozen variety can be used. The frozen prawns are sold as green prawn ‘cutlets’ and should not be mistaken for a crumbed prawn cutlet. The frozen variety is good in that the prawns are snap-frozen while on the fishing trawlers out at sea, guaranteeing an almost perfect fresh/frozen product.

* You can use either basil or coriander instead of parsley.

* Chopped chilli can be added with the seeds removed.

* This recipe can be served as a pasta sauce with long pasta like fettuccine or linguine.

* Alternatively, serve with steamed rice or simply with crusty bread and a crisp white wine.

* You can omit the cream and add 1 cup white wine for a lighter version, but allow several minutes simmering for the wine to reduce. Or use a light cream instead of the heavy cream suggested.