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Posts Tagged ‘prawns’

BBQ Prawns with Miso

Posted in Barbecue, Food, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 16 November 2025| Leave a Comment »

Smoky and savoury, these barbecue prawns with miso are the ultimate snack to kick off any gathering. A generous starter made for sharing that is perfect with cold drinks and good company.

Wine Suggestion: We’ve been exploring the wines of Quincy from the Loire Valley on our travels and discovering how universally well made and exciting they seem to be. Fortuitously the whites, made from Sauvignon Blanc, pair well with this dish. Anthony Girard’s La Clef du Recit is crisp, dry and pure fruited with a real depth and vibrant citrus fruits.

BBQ Prawns with Miso – makes 10

  • 750g large tiger prawns, peeled but with tails left on
  • 6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 2.5cm piece of ginger, finely grated
  • 2 tbsp miso paste
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 80g butter
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • finely grated zest and juice of a lemon
  • 2 tsp tahini
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
  • 2 scallions, green part only, finely shredded
  • 2 tbsp black sesame seeds
  • lemon wedges

Put the prawns into a large bowl and add the garlic, ginger, miso, soy sauce and honey. Mix well and leave to marinate in the fridge for an hour.

Get your barbecue going for direct cooking.

Meanwhile, put the butter into a small saucepan with the sesame oil. Put the pan over a medium heat and stir until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice, tahini and toasted sesame seeds. Stir well and set aside.

Thread the prawns onto kebab sticks, then cook on your hot barbecue for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Put the prawns skewers on a serving platter and brush with the sesame butter. Pour the rest of the butter into a bowl and serve it alongside.

Scatter over the scallions and black sesame seeds and serve with lemon wedges.

(Original recipe from The BBQ Book by Tom Kerridge, Bloomsbury: Absolute, 2025.)

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Barbecued Prawns with Harissa Mayonnaise

Posted in Barbecue, Food, Gluten-free, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 11 October 2025| Leave a Comment »

We couldn’t get enough of these smoky, juicy barbecued prawns — a real highlight from one of the many clever ideas in Tom Kerridge’s excellent new barbecue book (which we highly recommend). This recipe is quick, full of flavour, and seriously satisfying.

We’ve thrown in a little tip to make peeling the prawns less of a faff — but if you can find shell-on, deveined prawns, with that handy slit down the back, you’re golden.

Wine Suggestion: A fun starter deserves a wine to match — enter the Umani Ronchi Centovie Rosato. Fresh, dry, and deliciously savoury, the kind of rosé that knows how to keep up with smoky prawns and spicy harissa.

Barbecued prawns with harissa mayonnaise – serves 6

  • 1kg raw prawns in shells (we buy frozen prawns which already have the heads removed and are slit down the back for easy peeling when cooked)
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed
  • 2 tbsp rose harissa paste
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • finely grated zest of 2 limes
  • lime wedges, to serve

FOR THE HARISSA MAYONNAISE:

  • 150g mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp rose harissa paste
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped dill

Get your barbecue ready for direct cooking.

Twist the heads off the prawns if needed. Then use a pair of scissors to make a shallow cut along the belly of each prawn, leaving the tail shell intact. This will make them easier to peel.

Put the prawns into a large bowl and add the crushed cumin, harissa paste, extra virgin olive oil and lime zest. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the mayonnaise ingredients together and season with salt and pepper. Spoon into a serving bowl and set aside.

Place the prawns in a single layer on a very hot part of the barbecue and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. You want them to be lightly charred.

Transfer the prawns to a serving platter with the bowl of harissa mayonnaise and serve lime wedges alongside.

(Original recipe from The BBQ Book by Tom Kerridge, Bloomsbury:Absolute, 2025.)

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Cioppino

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 29 September 2025| Leave a Comment »

This rich, tomato-based seafood stew is a true taste of San Francisco and packed with fresh shellfish. Cioppino is the perfect Saturday night dinner to share with friends, a bit messy but delicious.

You will need to cook it while everyone is there, but as long as your ingredients are prepped ahead of time, it’s all very straightforward. Make sure you’ve got plenty of bread on hand to soak up all the broth.

Wine Suggestion: A fresh, mineral-driven white is the perfect match for this seafood-rich stew. Something vibrant and clean, without the weight of oak. We didn’t have a Californian wine that quite suited so opened an old favourite, the Céline & Frédéric Chablis. It’s full of white stone fruit, crisp apple and zesty citrus with the distinct limestone chalkiness of Chablis.

Cioppino – serves 4 to 6

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • a small bulb of fennel, finely chopped
  • 2 Romano peppers, chopped
  • 250ml white wine, plus an extra splash for the mussels
  • 400g tin of finely chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 300ml very light chicken stock
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 750g mussels, cleaned
  • 300g firm white fish, we used cod, cut into chunks
  • 12 raw shell-on prawns
  • 200g scallops, halved if large
  • a good handful of parsley, chopped
  • sourdough baguette and butter, to serve

Heat the oil in a a large wide pan. Add the onion, garlic and fennel with a good pinch of salt and cook gently for 10 minutes until softened but not coloured. Add the peppers and cook for another 5 minutes until softened. Add the wine and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, stock and herbs, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large pan, then tip in the mussels with the extra splash of white wine. Cover and shake the pan for a few minutes until the mussels have opened. Scoop the mussels out and set aside, keep the cooking liquid.

Add the fish, prawns and scallops to the stew, cover and simmer gently for 3-4 minutes or until the fish is cooked and the prawns are pink. Add the mussels with the reserved cooking liquid (hold back any grit) and cook for another minute to heat through. Taste and season if needed.

Stir in the parsley and serve in bowls with plenty of bread and butter.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, August 2025.)

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Saganaki-style Orzo with Prawns

Posted in Food, Greek, Pasta, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 21 September 2025| Leave a Comment »

Inspired by the classic Greek saganaki this dish bring together juicy king prawns, bright cherry tomatoes, orzo simmered in wine and stock, a drizzle of lemon and a scatter of feta and parsley. Perfect when you want something that’s quick, feels indulgent, but still very satisfying.

Wine Suggestion: We followed the time-honoured rule of “what grows together, goes together” and opened a bottle of Tetramythos Roditis from the Peloponnese. This dry Greek white is crisp and appley, with a soft, rounded texture through the mid-palate and a clean, saline finish. It worked perfectly with the prawns and the tomato base, echoing the citrusy notes of the lemon while balancing the heat from the chilli. No, we weren’t eating this by the sea in Greece but it certainly felt like we could have been.

Saganaki-style orzo with prawns – serves 4

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 200ml white wine
  • 2 x 400g tin cherry tomatoes
  • 300g orzo
  • 500ml hot chicken stock
  • 350g raw king prawns
  • a small handful of parsley, finely chopped
  • 50g feta, crumbled
  • half a lemon, cut into wedges
  • toasted ciabatta, to serve

Heat the oil in a wide frying pan over a medium heat, then fry the onion with a pinch of salt for a few minutes or until slightly softened.

Add the garlic, chilli, oregano and tomato purée and cook for another couple of minutes.

Turn the heat up high, then add the wine and leave until reduced by half, about 3-5 minutes.

Stir in the cherry tomatoes, orzo and stock, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes or until the orzo is almost tender.

Stir in the prawns and cook for 2-3 minutes or until cooked through. Season and scatter over the parsley and feta. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Brazilian Seafood Moqueca

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 11 August 2025| Leave a Comment »

We don’t cook many Brazilian dishes but perhaps we should make more as this one was delicious! Serve with rice or crusty bread.

Wine Suggestion: we had to guess a bit with what to open with this, so chose a warmer climate white with some white flower amd stonefruit characters; dry but with softer fruitiness. So tonight the charming Dominio de Tares Godello La Sonrisa and it was a very pleasant match indeed.

Brazilian seafood moqueca – serves 4 to 6

  • 650g firm white fish fillets (we used hake)
  • 400g whole shell-on prawns (about 12)
  • 3 limes, zested to make 1 tsp, juiced to make 6 tbsp, plus a little extra lime zest to serve
  • 2 tsp sweet paprika
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 medium onions, diced
  • 4 fat garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 large red pepper, cut into strips
  • 1 large yellow pepper, cut into strips
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 4 tbsp tomato purée
  • 400ml coconut milk
  • coriander, chopped, to garnish
  • red chilli, sliced, to garnish
  • white rice or crusty bread, to serve

Cut the fish fillets into chunky pieces and de-vein the prawns but leave the shells on (either use a very sharp knife or pointy scissors).

Mix the lime zest, 4 tbsp of the lime juice, 1 tsp of the paprika, 1 tsp of the cumin and 1 tsp of fine salt in a large bowl. Add the fish and prawns and toss gently to coat, then cover and leave aside for 15 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large deep pan and cook the onions for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, peppers and crushed coriander seeds and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the turmeric, 1 tsp of paprika, 1 tsp of cumin, the tomato purée and a splash of water, then mix well to coat the onions. Add the coconut milk with 200ml of water, then simmer over a medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Add 1 tsp of fine salt.

Gently add the fish and prawns to the sauce along with any marinade. The seafood needs to be completely covered so add a little more water if needed. Cover with a lid and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the seafood is cooked through.

Check the seasoning and add more salt if needed. Stir throught the rest of the lime juice and serve garnished with coriander and chilli.

(Original recipe by Gurdeep Loyal in Olive Magazine, May 2025.)

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Prawns and Mangetout on the Barbecue

Posted in Barbecue, Food, Gluten-free, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 26 June 2025| Leave a Comment »

This is an excellent barbecue starter. We have a number of Genevieve Taylor’s barbecue books and they are superb!

Wine Suggestion: You need a wine that loves shellfish, barbecues and salty cured meats which is a bit of a conundrum. The key is both a good amount of fruitiness alongside a minerally freshness; complimetary and contrasting characters. For tonight Pazo Señorans Albariño from Rias Baixas in north western Spain, you almost smell the salty sea air alongside crisp white peaches in the glass and so well structured on the palate. This wine ages superbly and luckily the winery also releases aged bottles so if you get the opportunity do try these too.

Prawns and mangetout on the barbecue – serves 4

  • 300g raw peeled prawns
  • 10 slices of prosciutto
  • 150g mangetout
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

FOR THE LEMONY MAYO:

  • 125g mayonnaise
  • zest of 1 lemon, and juice to taste
  • 10g chives

Pat the prawns dry with kitchen paper.

Cut each slice of prosciutto into 4 pieces. Wrap each prawn in a piece of prosciutto.

Thread a prawn onto a skewer, followed by a piece of mangetout, then another prawn. Keep going until everything is used up, then brush a little oil over each skewer and season with salt and pepper. Leave them in the fridge until ready to cook.

For the lemony mayo, spoon the mayonnaise into a small bowl and stir through the lemon zest and chives. Add lemon juice to taste (start with half the lemon) and season with salt and pepper. Chill until needed.

Get the barbecue going for hot direct grilling.

Cook the skewers for 1-2 minutes on each side until the ham is crispy and the prawns pink. Serve with the mayo.

(Original recipe from Scorched by Genevieve Taylor, Hardie Grant: Quadrille, 2024.)

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Summer Rolls

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 23 June 2025| Leave a Comment »

Summer rolls – so simple but they look so impressive. Serve for lunch.

Summer rolls – makes 8

  • 35g rice vermicelli noodles
  • 16 chives
  • 8 sprigs of coriander
  • 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
  • ¼ cucumber, deseeded and cut into matchsticks
  • 50g bean sprouts
  • ½ little gem lettuce, finely shredded
  • 125g cooked, peeled prawns, halved lengthways
  • 1-2 tbsp roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
  • 16 mint leaves
  • 8 rice paper wrappers

FOR THE CHILLI DIPPING SAUCE:

  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp freshly grated root ginger
  • 1 red bird’s eye chilli, thinly sliced
  • 1 clove of garlic, grated

Cook the noodles by bringing a pan of water to the boil. Drop in the noodles and take the pan off the heat. Leave the noodles to soak for 2 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water. Drain well and set aside.

Mix all the chilli dipping sauce ingredients together with 2 tbsp of cold water and set aside.

Make sure you have all the filling ingredients prepped and to hand.

Dip a rice paper wrapper in a bowl of cold water and leave to soak for up to a minute, then transfer to a damp tea towel.

Add the filling ingredients as follows (making sure to leave a border around the edge so you can seal the roll): arrange two chives in a X in the middle, add a sprig of coriander, then some noodles, carrot, cucumber, bean sprouts, lettuce, prawns and peanuts (careful not to overfill). Top with a couple of mint leaves.

Fold the edge closest to you over the filling, tuck the sides over to enclose then ends, then roll away from you to seal. Set aside under a folded damp tea towel to stop them drying out while you make the rest. Repeat with the remaining rice papers. Serve with the dipping sauce.

(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Food Stories, BBC Books, Penguin: Random House, 2024.)

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Pilaf with Prawns & Feta

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 1 December 2024| Leave a Comment »

Prawns actually pair very well with feta, which is always a bit suprising to us. It’s nice to have a lighter dish amongst all the winter soups and stews.

Wine Suggestion: we think this suits a white grown somehwere around the Mediterranean, like tonight’s choice of the Hatzidakis Santorini Cuvée 15, a wonderfully fresh and complex Assyrtiko with honeysuckle and herbs on the nose followed by a textured, almost salty palate.

Prawn & feta pilaf – serves 4

  • 225g basmati rice
  • 15g unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, plus a bit extra to
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • 275g tomatoes, deseeded and roughly chopped
  • a big bunch of dill, chopped
  • a big bunch of flat leaf parsley, leaves chopped
  • a handful of mint leaves, chopped
  • 400ml fish stock or light chicken stock
  • 350g raw prawns, shelled and deveined
  • juice of ½ lemon, plus lemon wedges to serve
  • 55g black kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
  • 75g feta cheese, crumbled

Rince the rice in a sieve under cold running water until the water runs clear. Leave to soak for an hour if you have the time, then rinse again.

Heat the butter and 2 tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan and cook the onion until it starts to soften. Add the garlic and tomatoes and continue to cook, stirring now and then, until the onion is cooked and the tomatoes have softened. Stir in the rice and half the herbs, season well, then pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Boil hard until the rice starts to look pitted, with little holes in the service and it seems like the liquid has disapeared.

Wrap a clean tea towel around the lid of the pan and cover the pan. Reduce the heat to low and leave to cook for 20 minutes.

When the rice is almost ready, dry the prawns on kitchen paper and quickly sauté in a little olive oil over a high heat. Squeeze over the lemon juice and season with black pepper and salt.

When the rice is cooked, fork through the olives, remaining herbs and lemon juice with a good glug of your best extra virgin olive oil. Transfer to a serving platter, then scatter over the feta and mound the prawns on top. Drizzle again with olive oil and serve with lemon wedges.

(Original recipe from Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons by Diana Henry, Aster*, 2024.)

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Spicy Prawn Spaghetti

Posted in Food, Pasta, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 8 October 2024| Leave a Comment »

We’ve had mixed success with these all-in one pot pasta dishes with some working really well and others not quite! We were pleased with this one which worked out really well. Delicious sauce and lovely fresh flavours.

Spicy prawn spaghetti – serves 2

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 courgette, diced quice small, about 1cm pieces
  • 165g pack raw peeled prawns
  • zest and juice of ½ lemon, plus wedges to serve
  • 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
  • 1 tbsp harissa paste
  • ½ tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 tbsp vodka
  • 2 biggish tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 600ml hot veg stock
  • 150g spaghetti
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 75g feta, crumbled
  • a handful of rocket, to serve

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large sauté pan, then add the courgette and cook for a few minutes, until just starting to colour. Add the prawns and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Stir for a couple of minutes until the prawns are pink and just cooked. Squeeze in some lemon juice, then tip into a bowl and set aside.

Add another tbsp of oil to the pan and cook the garlic until it sizzles. Add the tomato purée and harissa and cook for 30 seconds, before adding the vodka, followed by the tomatoes. Pour in the stock and add the spaghetti, the salt and some black pepper. Bring the boil, mixing well. Cook at a brisk bubble, without a lid, for 15 minutes or until the pasta is al dente and is coated in the sauce. You can add extra water at any point if needed.

Tip the courgettes and prawns into the pan and toss until piping hot. Taste and add more lemon juice if you like. Serve in pasta bowls with the feta and lemon zest scattered over and a pile of rocket on top.

(Original recipe by Tasmin Burnett-Hall in Sainsburys Magazine, September 2024.)

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Singapore Noodles

Posted in Asian, Food, Pork, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 1 May 2024| 5 Comments »

Made to satisfy our daughter’s constant craving for noodles … and much bettter than the packets she tries to make us buy. We recommend you prep everything before you start cooking.

Wine Suggestion: we think dry Pinot Gris is great with loads Asian foods and this is no different. From Nelson in NZ, Neudorf’s Tiritiri Pinot Gris is a charmer. Great fruit and lovely texture with gentle spices mean this combination is a winner.

Singapore Noodles – serves 4

  • 200g fine egg noodles or rice noodles
  • 2 tbsp veg oil
  • 1 onion, sliced into thin wedges
  • 1 carrot, cut into fine matchsticks (use a mandonline if you have one)
  • 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 10g fresh root ginger, finely chopped
  • 200g pork fillet, finely sliced
  • 225g tin bamboo shoots, drained
  • 100g frozen peas, defrosted
  • 1 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder
  • 2 tsp mild curry powder
  • 2 tbsl light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice wine
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 140g cooked shelled prawns

To garnish:

  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 scallions, finely shredded
  • 1 green or red chilli, finely sliced
  • chopped fresh coriander
  • soy sauce, to serve

Cover the noodles with freshly boiled water and leave to stand for a minute, then drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large work. Add the onion, carrot and red pepper and stir-fry over a high heat until they’re starting to brown. Add the garlic, ginger and pork and continue to stir-fry until the pork is coloured on all sides. Tip in the bamboo shoots, peas, spices, soy sauce, rice wine and rice wine vinegar, then add the noodles and stir to combine (chopsticks are good for separating the noodles). Leave to cook for a couple of minutes until hot, then stir in the prawns and allow to heat through. Serve with the sesame oil, scallions, chilli and coriander over the top. We like ours with extra soy sauce.

(Original recipe from The Hairy Bikers’ One Pot Wonders by Si King & Dave Myers, Seven Dials, 2019.)

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Spicy Prawn Rice

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 16 April 2024| Leave a Comment »

This is almost like a biryani but with gentle Iranian spices and it makes a great centre piece. You can serve with yoghurt if you like and we missed a side of greens or salad.

Wine Suggestion: This suits a rich and broad white like Domaine Manciat-Poncet’s Pouilly-Vinzelles. With a lovely mix of stonefruit flavours and grapefruit this has a zip as well as the breadth that compliments the prawns as opposed to fighting or overwhelming them.

Spicy prawn rice – serves 6

  • 500g basmati rice
  • 6 fat cloves of garlic
  • 7cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 heaped tsp ground fenugreek leaves
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
  • 600g large peeled prawns
  • 60g butter

Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add a big handful of crumbled sea salt. Boil the rice for 6-8 minutes or until the grains are bright white and slightly elongated. They should be just starting to soften.

Drain the rice and rinse under cold water for a couple of minutes, until cool.

Line the bottom of the rice pot with some nonstick baking paper and set aside.

Put a large frying pan over a medium heat. Drizzle in a generous amount of olive oil (or vegetable oil) and fry the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the grated ginger, ground ginger, cumin, fenugreek and chilli flakes, and stir. Add the prawns and cook for under a minute, or until just starting to turn pink, then remove the pan from the heat and season generously with salt and pepper.

Put the paper-lined pot back over the heat and pour in a generous drizzle of olive oil and the butter. Sprinkle in some sea salt, then scatter in enough rice to cover the base of the pan.

Layer the prawn mixture and rice into the pan, finishing with a thin layer of rice. Use the long handle of a wooden spoon to poke about 5 holes into the rice, right down to the base of the pan.

Wrap the lid of the pan in a tea towel, then cover the pan and cook over the lowest temperature for about 40 mintues.

Check the rice is cooked, then remove it from the pan. If you’re brave you can place a platter over the pan and flip the rice out onto it. Scrape out any crispy tahdig (the crispy rice on the base) from the bottom of the pan and serve on top of the rice.

(Original recipe from Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour, Mitchelle Beazley, 2014.)

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Prawn Linguine

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Pasta, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , on 19 September 2023| 1 Comment »

This is not your average prawn linguine and you do need to make a shellfish stock BUT we did this on a Tuesday night after work so you can too!! The photo really doesn’t do justice to how deep and complex the flavours are.

Wine Suggestion: A southern Italian white like Michele Biancardi’s Solo Fiano from Puglia where it has perfume and stone fruits bursting from the glass. A rich and round palate counter-balanced with a fresh, textural acidity completes the wine; like warm sunshine in a glass tempered by fresh breezes off the Adriatic Sea.

Prawn linguine – serves 2

  • 350g whole prawns, you need to peel and devein them yourself and keep the shells and the heads
  • 160g linguine
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large clove of garlic, crushed
  • ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes
  • 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tbsp roughly chopped parsley

FOR THE PRAWN STOCK:

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1 shallot, roughly chopped
  • 2 tinned anchovies
  • 1 bay leaf
  • shells and heads from the peeled prawns (see above)
  • 125ml white wine
  • 375ml chicken stock

You need to start with the stock. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium-high heat and cook the garlic, shallot, anchovies and bay leaf for a few minutes, mashing the anchovies up as you go. Add the prawn heads and shells and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes.

Add the wine and turn the heat up high and simmer for a couple of minutes or until almost evaporated. Add the stock and ½ tsp salt, bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 25 minutes. Crush the prawn heads with a potato masher a couple of times as the stock simmers. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a jug, pressing down hard on the shells to extract all the flavour. Throw away the solids and hang on to the delicious stock.

Toss the now peeled prawns with salt and black pepper. Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the prawns for about 1 minute on each side, or until opaque, then transfer to a plate.

Heat another tbsp of oil in the same frying pan and cook the garlic and chilli flakes for 15 seconds or until the garlic is just golden. Add the prawn stock and turn the heat up high. Simmer rapidly, stirring to scrape any tasty bits from the bottom of the pan, until the liquid has reduced to about 125ml. Turn off the heat and leave aside while you cook the pasta.

Bring a large pot of salty water to the boil and cook the linguine for 1 minute less than the timing suggested on the pack. When the pasta is almost cooked put the shellfish stock back over a high heat. Transfer the pasta directly from the pot of water to the stock with some tongs, it will bring some pasta cooking liquid with it. Add the cherry tomatoes and toss for a couple of minutes with two wooden spoons until the sauce coats the pasta and no longer sits in a puddle at the bottom of the pan. If it starts to clag add a little more pasta water.

Toss the prawns and parsley through the pasta and divide between two bowls.

(Original recipe from Recipetin Eats Dinner by Nagi Maehashi, Pan Macmillan, 2022.)

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Prawn and Tomato Stew with Coriander Pesto

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 5 August 2023| Leave a Comment »

A dish from Falastin, it’s packed with flavour and we recommend adding the optional black olives and feta cheese. A green salad and some crusty bread is also a good choice. The tomato sauce and coriander sauce can both be made in advance, just char your cherry tomatoes and fry the prawns at the end.

Wine Suggestion: Despite this being a seafood dish we think a Southern French red is the way to go with this. Tonight something quite special: Roc des Anges Unic which is a super expressive Grenache with a thrilling tension and energy.

Prawn and tomato stew with coriander pesto – serves 4

  • 250g cherry tomatoes
  • 60ml olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 2cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 1 green chilli, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed in a pestle and mortar
  • 1½ cumin seeds, lightly crushed in a pestle and mortar
  • 8 cardamom pods, lightly bashed in a pestle and mortar
  • 20g dill, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp tomato purée
  • 6 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 600g peeled raw king prawns
  • a handful of black kalamata olives (optional)
  • 100g feta cheese, crumbled into chunky pieces (optional)

FOR THE CORIANDER PESTO:

  • 30g coriander, roughly chopped
  • 1 green chilli, finely chopped
  • 50g pine nuts, lightly toasted
  • 1 lemon, finely grate the zest to get 1½ tsp, then cut into wedges to serve
  • 80ml olive oil

Toss the cherry tomatoes with 1 tsp of oil. Heat a large sauté pan over a high heat, then add the cherry tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until charred and blistered. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Wipe the pan out, then add 2 tbsp of olive oil and place over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until softened and lightly browned. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli, spices, dill and tomato purée, then cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the plum tomatoes and 300ml of water, 1½ tsp salt and plenty of black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until thickened and the tomatoes have broken down.

Meanwhile, make the coriander pesto. Put the coriander, pine nuts and chilli into a food processor and pulse a few times, just until the pine nuts are roughly crumbled. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the olive oil, lemon zest, ¼ tsp of salt and some black pepper. Stir to combine and set aside.

Dry the prawns well then mix in bowl with ¼ tsp of salt, 1 tbsp of oil and plenty of black pepper.

Put 2 tsp of oil into a large frying pan and place on a high heat. When the pan is hot, add the prawns in batches and fry for a minute on each side, until cooked and browned.

Stir the cooked prawns and the charred tomatoes into the tomato sauce and cook over a medium heat for another 3 minutes, to heat through. Transfer the prawns and tomatoes to a serving dish, drizzle over some of the coriander pesto and sprinkle over the olives and crumbled feta.

(Original recipe from Falastin by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wrigley, Ebury Press, 2020.)

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Prawn & Black Bean Quesadillas

Posted in Food, Prawns, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 3 August 2023| Leave a Comment »

A very tasty lunch. Good for holidays, or a lazy weekend.

Prawn & black bean quesadillas – serves 2

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely sliced
  • 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 150g raw king prawns
  • 1 large clove of garlic, crushed
  • 2 tsp hot smoked paprika
  • ½ a small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
  • ½ x 400g tin black beans, drained
  • 2 large flour tortillas
  • 80g grated mozzarella
  • mixed salad and hot sauce, to serve (optional)

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onion and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes or until softened and starting to brown. Add the prawns to the pan and cook for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and paprika and fry for another minute. Stir in the coriander and beans, then season.

Heat another large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Put a tortilla in the pan and cover half with half the bean and prawn mixture and half the cheese. Flip the other side over to make a semi-circle and do the same with the second tortilla in the other half of the pan (or you can do one at a time if easier). Put a saucepan or something heavy on top to press down on the tortillas and cook for a minute or two. Carefully flip them over and weigh down for another minute or two. Cut each tortilla in two and serve with salad and hot sauce if you like.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food).

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Prawn Spaghetti with Tomato, Chilli & Basil

Posted in Food, Italian, Pasta, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 26 March 2022| Leave a Comment »

A nice treat for two and ready in minutes.

Wine Suggestion: Something red from Italy’s Adriatic coast, but nothing too big or complex as this is a fun, casual dish! For us Umani Ronchi’s Rosso Conero Serrano, a Montepulciano – Sangiovese blend that has a medium body, fresh and bright cherry fruits and a gentle, earthy tannins was the ticket.

Prawn spaghetti with tomato, chilli & basil – serves 2

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
  • 150g baby plum tomatoes
  • 150ml white wine
  • 200g spaghetti
  • a handful of basil leaves
  • 225g raw peeled prawns
  • a generous knob of butter

Warm the oil in a large frying pan, then add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until starting to soften, then add the white wine and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions in lots of very salty water, then drain but reserve a cup of the cooking water.

Add the basil and prawns to the tomatoes, season well, and cook until the prawns turn pink. Stir in the butter and spaghetti and a splash of pasta cooking water if you need to loosen the sauce a bit. Toss it all together and serve.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, March 2020.)

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Prawn, Spinach & Coconut Curry

Posted in Asian, Food, Gluten-free, Indian, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 24 March 2022| 2 Comments »

This will improve your veg intake for the day and puts frozen prawns to good use. A perfect curry for mid-week. Serve with naan breads or rice and lime wedges.

Prawn, spinach & coconut curry – serves 2-3

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 200g raw prawns, defrosted if frozen
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1-2 chillies, deseeded
  • 1 red pepper, sliced
  • 2 tbsp curry paste, we like Patak’s Madras
  • 400ml tin of coconut milk
  • 80g Tenderstem broccoli, cooked until tender
  • 100g baby spinach
  • lime wedges, to serve

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onion for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and chillies and fry for another 2 minutes, then addd the sliced pepper and cook for 3 minutes until softened.

Push the veg to one side and fry the curry paste for a couple of minutes to heat through, then add the coconut milk and mix well to combine. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until thickened, then add the prawns, broccoli and spinach. Stir well and simmer until the prawns are just cooked and the spinach wilted.

Serve with rice or naan breads and lime wedges for squeezing over.

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Norwegian Fish Chowder

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, Prawns, Shellfish, Soup, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 17 February 2022| Leave a Comment »

A lovely fiskesuppe with delicate flavours and delicious chunks of seafood. You can use whatever mix of fish and shellfish you like, clams would be nice. Serve with lots of steamed potatoes.

Wine Suggestion: Fish, cream, brandy … demands a richer white with a touch of oak and Quinta Soalheiro’s Alvarinho Reserva fitted the bill. Textured and buttery, but at the same time bone dry and vibrantly fresh and full of citrus fruit and salty crisp peaches. A wine so fresh and pure, and yet round and embracing.

Norwegian Fish Chowder – serves 4

  • 100g cooked shell-on prawns
  • 1 litre fish stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • a handful of flat-leaf parsley, plus a handful of parsley leaves, chopped, to serve
  • 12 peppercorns
  • 2 carrots, roughly diced
  • 2 celery sticks, roughly diced
  • 1 leek, thinly sliced
  • 100ml dry white wine
  • 50ml brandy
  • 300ml double cream
  • 100g skinless salmon fillet, cubed into 2cm pieces
  • 150g haddock fillet, cubed into 2cm pieces
  • 20 mussels, cleaned
  • steamed potatoes (to serve)

Shell the prawns and put the shells in a large saucepan with the fish stock, bay leaf, parsley, peppercorns, carrot, celery and leek. Bring to the boil and cook for 10-15 minutes. Pour in the wine and brandy and boil for another 5 minutes, then strain into a clean pan.

Add the double cream and bring back to a simmer. Add the salmon, haddock and mussels and cook for 3-4 minutes, adding the cooked prawns for just a minute to warm through at the end. Season and scatter over the chopped parsley. Serve in warm bowls and add potatoes.

(Original recipe by Signe Johansen in Olive Magazine, January 2014.)

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Chinese-style Fried Rice

Posted in Asian, Food, Pork, Prawns, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 26 November 2021| Leave a Comment »

This is great for using up leftover cooked rice. We also had some leftover char siu pork which was delicious chopped up and stirred through.

Wine Suggestion: This calls for an easy style of Grüner Veltliner, like Forrest Estate’s version from Marlborough NZ. Maybe not quite the same as Austrian versions but very pleasurable nonetheless.

Chinese-style fried rice – serves 4 (easily halved)

  • 225g shelled raw prawns
  • 120ml groundnut oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 2 large eggs
  • 800g cooked rice, it needs to be cooked at least a few hours in advance
  • 4 scallions, finely sliced, separate the green and white parts
  • 225g cooked ham or pork, diced
  • 225g frozen peas
  • 1½ tbsp thick soy sauce
  • 30-45ml stock

FOR THE PRAWN MARINADE:

  • a pinch of salt
  • 1½ tsp cornflour
  • ½ egg white

Devein the prawns and cut into 2cm pieces. Pat dry with kitchen paper and put into a bowl.

Make the marinade for the prawns by mixing the salt, cornflour and egg white together. Stir into the prawns to coat evenly, then leave in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Heat a wok until smoking. Add 2 tbsp of the oil, give it a swirl, then add the garlic. As soon as it starts to colour, add the prawns, stirring to separate with a metal spoon for about 30 seconds or until almost cooked and turning pink. Add the Shaoxing wine and as soon as the sizzling calms down, scoop out the prawns and set aside. You will now need to wash and dry your wok.

Lightly beat the eggs with 1 tbsp of the oil and a pinch of salt. Heat a large frying pan until hot, add 1 tbsp of the oil and tip the pan to coat the surface. Pour in half the beaten egg and tip the spread to the edges. When set, turn over and fry for a few seconds on the other side. Remove to a plate and slice into thin strips.

Break up any lumps in the cooked rice. Blanch the peas in boiling salty water for a few minutes, then drain well.

Reheat the wok over a high heat until smoking. Add the remaining 4 tbsp of oil and swirl to coat the wok. Add the white parts of the scallions, pour in the rest of the beaten egg, then immediately add the rice. Turn and toss the rice with a metal spoon scooping up the raw egg from the bottom of the wok.

When the rice is hot, add the ham or pork, then stir in the peas and prawns. Finally add the soy sauce and stock, stirring all the time.

Add the green parts of the scallions, then tip out onto a platter and garnish with the strips of egg.

(Original recipe from Yan-Kit’s Classic Chinese Cookbook, by Yan-Kit So, DK, 1984.)

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Prawn Salad with Bloody Mary Dressing

Posted in Food, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 11 November 2021| Leave a Comment »

Try this idea by Tom Kerridge as an alternative to prawn cocktail. It’s delicious!

Wine Suggestion: Muscadet, or Alvarinho/Albariño. Plenty of choices out there, tonight a Pazo de Señorans Albariño but many more could have equally filled the slot. Keep it fun.

Prawn salad with bloody mary dressing – serves 4

  • 2 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle more to serve
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely grated
  • a few pinchs of cayenne pepper
  • 20 large tiger prawns, peeled and deveined
  • lemon wedges, to serve

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • 5 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 5 good splashes of hot sauce, we used Frank’s
  • 1 tbsp creamed horseradish
  • 1 tbsp vodka
  • a large pinch of celery salt

FOR THE SALAD:

  • 2 ripe avocados, cut into chunky dice
  • 3 celery sticks, peeled and sliced into chunks, keep any leaves to garnish
  • ½ iceberg lettuce, shredded
  • 2 ripe plum tomatoes, roughly chopped

Mix the dressing ingredients together, season with salt, and set aside. Keep it in the fridge if you make it in advance.

Mix the oil and garlic in a bowl with salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne pepper, then add the prawns and marinate in the fridge, covered, for 10 minutes (or up to 24 hours).

Prep the salad before you cook the prawns and scatter over a large platter.

Heat a griddle pan over a medium heat, when hot lay on the prawns and cook for no more than a couple of minutes on each side, they need to turn pink and be just cooked through.

Scatter the prawns over the salad, drizzle generously with the dressing, sprinkle over the celery leaves and another pinch of cayenne, then drizzle with a little more oil. Serve with the lemon wedges.

(Original recipe by Tom Kerridge in BBC Good Food Magazine, October 2021.)

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Fideuada del Señorito

Posted in Fish, Food, Pasta, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 21 October 2021| Leave a Comment »

Spanish seafood pasta, made like a paella and with a dollop of alioli … what could be more reminiscent of dinner by the sea on holidays; this dish smells like Spain. Lightly does it when cooking the seafood.

Wine Suggestion: A lighltly chilled Garnacha Negra (Grenache Noir) from Terra Alta springs to mind – they really have a wonderful affinity for this grape there, alongside the Garnacha Blanca too. Edetaria’s basic “via Terra” has all the joy, freshness and perfume to compliment the flavours of the food while adding an extra warm spice and red fruits to lift it further. 30 minutes in the fridge was enough to make it taste and feel like sunshine in Spain, even if the weather outside isn’t quite like that at the moment.

Seafood pasta – serves 6 (easily halved)

  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 400g monkfish fillet
  • 4 baby squid, cleaned and bodies cut into rings
  • 12 raw peeled king prawns
  • 12 queen scallops (or you can cut bigger ones in half)
  • 4-5 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • a good pinch of saffron threads
  • 1.25 litres of fish or chicken stock
  • 500g fideua pasta (or you can use vermicelli or spaghettini)
  • 3 tbsp chopped flatleaf parsley
  • lemons quarters, to garnish
  • garlic mayonnaise or alioli, to serve

Heat 4 tbsp of the oil in a large paella pan (40-45cm). Add the monkfish, sprinkle with salt, and cook for a few minutes, turning. Add the squid and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes. Add the prawns and scallops and turn until the prawns are pink and scallops just seared, just a minute or two. Transfer the cooked seafood to a platter and pour off and reserve any cooking liquid.

Heat the rest of the oil in the same pan, stir in the garlic and stir briefly, then stir in the tomatoes. Add the paprika, saffron and some salt, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the liquid has almost evaporated.

Meanwhile, bring the stock and cooking liquid to the boil. Add the pasta to the sauce in the paella pan and cook, stirring, until well coated. Pour in the boiling and cook until the pasta is al dente. Place the seafood on top a few minutes before the end.

Serve sprinkled with parsley and with lemon and alioli or galric mayonnaise on the side.

(Original recipe from Claudia Roden, The Food of Spain, Michael Joseph, 2012.)

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