Simple celebrations: three ways with prawns
It’s no wonder this time of year is called ‘silly season’! It’s hard work running around completing last minute work, organising food, and mediating family dynamics. Once you’ve successfully manoeuvred those challenges, who wants to sit down to same old dry white turkey? That’s why we’re here to reward your hard work, and brighten your festive feast with a twist on the classic Christmas meal. We’re sure that once you’ve tried the versatile, fresh, and celebratory ingredient of prawns a new tradition will be born!
The magic of prawns is that they’re so delicious they spice up even the simplest of dishes. We’re firm believers that some of the best things in life are the simplest, so our festive offering to you is three quick and easy prawn recipes for your Christmas meal.
To start: sizzling garlic chili prawns on ciabatta
Ingredients
- 500 g tiger prawns (shell on)
- 1 red chilli
- 2 cloves of fresh garlic, finely chopped
- 6 tbsp olive oil (we recommend Funky Ouma's 'convenient olive oil')
- A pinch of paprika
- 1 small bunch of flat leaf parsley
- 1 knob of butter
- 1 lemon
- 1 loaf of ciabatta bread
Instructions
- Slice your ciabatta bread and toast it.
- Cut your chilli in half lengthways, remove seeds and finely chop.
- Pull the heads off the prawns and peel, leaving the tails intact. Cut along the back of each prawn and discard the dark vein. Rinse the prawns in cold running water and pat dry with paper towel.
- Heat the oil in your pans or flameproof casserole dish until fairly hot, then add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds.
- Add the prawns, chilli, paprika, salt and pepper. Fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the prawns turn pink and begin to curl.
- Remove the prawns from the pan, and place them in a warmed bowl with wooden cocktail sticks to spear. Garish with the chopped parsley and lemon wedges.
- Finely, melt the butter in the pan with the garlic, chilli, and oil. When melted, place the toasted ciabatta in the pan to soak up all the flavours and then serve.
For a twist on that ordinary prawn cocktail: ginger, chili and lemongrass prawns
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp peeled, chopped fresh ginger
- 3 chopped garlic cloves
- 2 chopped shallots (or a medium onion)
- 36 prawns, peeled and deveined (with heads on if desired)
- 1/2 cup rice wine
- 2 tbsp very finely minced lemongrass
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup sweet hot chili sauce
- soy sauce
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large sauté pan over high heat until very
hot. - Add the ginger, garlic, and shallots to sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the prawns and cook for 2-3 minutes, just until they start to turn
pink. - Add the rice wine and lemongrass, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring
often. - Add the stock and chili sauce, and cook until the prawns are just cooked
through. - Season to taste with soy sauce, and serve warm.
For the main event: simple yet special prawn pasta
Ingredients
- 200 g linguine or spaghetti
- 25 g butter
- 200 g raw peeled prawns (preferably tiger prawns)
- 1 crushed garlic clove
- 100 ml white wine
- A squeeze of lemon juice
- 1 small handful of roughly chopped flat leaf parsley
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling, salted water according to pack
instructions. - Meanwhile, heat a small knob of the butter in a frying pan. When it
starts to sizzle, add the prawns and fry for 1 minute until they start to
change colour. - Add the garlic and sizzle for 1 minute more, then splash in the wine and
bring to the boil. - Swirl in the rest of the butter, season with salt, pepper and a squeeze
of lemon juice, then stir in the chopped parsley. - When the pasta is al dente, drain and toss it through the prawns.
- Divide the pasta between 2 bowls, pour over any excess sauce and serve immediately.