Prawn again

A shrimp is a shrimp; a prawn is, well, a shrimp. The two words are used interchangeably in markets and restaurants everywhere. The textbooks may agree that a shrimp is a shrimp, but many people (and quite a few cookbooks) refer to this most popular of shellfish as a prawn.

Some people say the difference is size. In many parts of the country, small and medium shrimp are sold simply as shrimp, while large, extra-large, and jumbo shrimp are called prawns. Unfortunately, this "rule" doesn't always hold. In some areas, all shrimp, small and large, are sold as shrimp, while in other regions, all you'll find are prawns.

Purists may argue that the term "prawn" is reserved for the shrimp's close relative, the Dublin Bay prawn. The Dublin Bay prawn resembles a shrimp, but it's distinguished by its small pincer claws (similar to those on a lobster) and a narrower body. Sometimes called Florida or Caribbean lobsterettes or French langoustines, these shellfish can be hard to find in markets. And unlike shrimp, Dublin Bay prawns are usually cooked with their heads on. The claws make quite an attractive presentation, although they're too tiny to render any meat.

In Italy, Dublin Bay prawns are called scampi, which has confused North Americans even more. In Canada and the US, scampi refers to a dish of large shrimp that are cooked with garlic and butter or olive oil.

Preparation and cooking:
When raw, prawns have a grey, translucent appearance. Cooked ones are pink and opaque. They can be bought in all stages of preparation, but bear in mind that those with the shells left on will have better flavour than those bought already shelled.

Peeling: To peel raw or cooked prawns, start by pulling off the head and rinsing. Then peel away the shell from the thick end, working down to the tail. The very end of the tail can be left on for appearance.

De-veining: If the prawns are large, it's a good idea to de-vein - that is, remove the intestinal vein that runs down the back. Using a sharp knife, make a slit down the middle of the outside curve and pull out the dark coloured vein. Rinse under cold water. This may not be necessary with smaller prawns and is a matter of personal preference.

Cooking: Like all fish and shellfish, prawns only need a short cooking time. If the prawns are already cooked, they need simply to be heated through before serving. If cooking raw prawns, they are done when they turn pink and opaque.

Cook's tip: If shelling the prawns yourself, keep the shells and make a stock by covering them with water and simmering for about 30 minutes. Strain, discard the shells and keep the stock for soups and sauces. Alternatively, wash the shells, fry them in butter or oil for 10 minutes, then strain off. Discard the shells and use the prawn-flavoured fat for frying other seafood or adding to pasta dishes.

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Today for lunch I decided to try some of the giant prawns, my other half, bought back from his trip up north. I've been badgering him for ages to bring back the biggest prawns he could find and he did, weighing in at around 6-8 ounces each they almost had me creaming my pans!!

CREAMY GARLIC PRAWNS
Serves 2-4

INGREDIENTS:
4 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons black peppercorns, crushed coarsely
2 teaspoons lemon Juice
1 tablespoon brandy
1 lb (500g) raw prawns, shelled, cleaned and split lengthwise
olive oil
4 fl.oz (125ml) cream
chopped parsley to garnish

METHOD:
Crush the garlic with the salt, add the crushed peppercorns, lemon juice and brandy and mix well.
Place the prawns in a frying pan, add the garlic mixture and enough olive oil to just cover and cook quickly until the prawns just change colour. Stir in the cream.
Serve hot and sizzling in small bowls garnished with chopped parsley.
Serves 4 as an entree, 2 as a main course.

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This recipe can easily be adapted to use in a detox. Substitute the prawns for white fish and the milk for soya milk. Use yogurt instead of cream and omit the lemon juice. Instead of bread I made gluten free crutons by frying small cubes of gluten free sourdough bread in olive oil.

PRAWN AND SWEETCORN CHOWDER
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
1 tbsp (15g) butter
1 onion, chopped
11 oz (300g) can sweetcorn
2 tbsp (30ml) lemon juice
½ pt (300ml) fish stock
4 oz (115g) cooked, peeled prawns
½ pt (300ml) milk
2 tbsp (30ml) cream or yogurt
salt and pepper
garnish:
4 large prawns
few sprigs parsley or dill

METHOD:
Melt the butter in a pan and cook the onion until transparent. Add half of the sweetcorn and all of its liquid, the lemon juice, stock and half the prawns. Cover and simmer the soup for about 15 minutes, then blend or liquidize until smooth.
Return the soup to the pan. Chop the remaining prawns and add to the soup with the milk, remaining sweetcorn, cream or yogurt and seasoning to taste. Cook gently for 5 minutes and serve garnished with the prawns and herb sprigs.

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A nice variation on Welsh rarebit, courtesy of Gary Rhodes from Saturday kitchen. I would like to know where he gets his French bread from though as I find this makes enough for at least ten slices.

PRAWN RAREBIT

Serves 4 as a starter

INGREDIENTS:
4-6 thick slices of French bread
melted butter, for brushing
1 tsp English mustard
a dash or two of Worcestershire sauce
5 fl.oz (150ml) double or whipping cream
3 oz (75g) cheddar cheese, grated
3 oz (75g) Gruyére cheese, grated
6 oz (175g) cooked and peeled prawns

METHOD:
Pre-heat the grill. Brush both sides of each bread slice with butter and toast the top and bottom to a golden brown under the grill
In a large bowl stir the mustard and Worcestershire into the cream. Extra mustard can be added for a stronger flavour.
Gently fold in the two cheeses and the prawns, then spoon the mixture onto the toasts.
Place under the grill (not too close to the heating element) and toast to a golden brown. Serve.

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PRAWNS WITH GINGER, CHILLI AND GARLIC

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
6 tbsp olive oil
1 inch piece ginger, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
2 red chillies, deseeded and finely sliced
16 tiger prawns, peeled
1-2 lemons
handful Parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper
4 slices ciabatta bread, toasted

METHOD:
In a large, hot frying pan, put 4 tbsp of oil, ginger, chillies, garlic and prawns. Fry for about 3 minutes over a high flame.
Turn the heat down and add the juice of 1 lemon and the remaining olive oil. Season and add more lemon juice if required. Stir in the parsley and serve over the toasted ciabatta

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