Bags of frozen prawns regularly come on sale around here – often at 2 for 1!! This makes them a fairly inexpensive meal but also very convenient as you not only don’t need to thaw them ahead of time – they shouldn’t be thawed ahead.
Since we love prawns I like to find new ways of preparing them. This recipe for prawns is adapted from Giada De Laurentis’ Nonna Luna’s Rice.
Giada uses the smaller shrimp but we love the larger ones in this recipe. Shrimp and prawns are classified according to the number of them in one pound. I used a bag of frozen deveined prawns labeled as 41 prawns or more in the bag. The deveined prawns were unpeeled and had their tails still on. These are a bit cheaper than the peeled and also more widely available.
Do not thaw the prawns until almost ready to use. To prepare the prawns, pour the frozen prawns into barely lukewarm water. After just a few minutes, the tail should pull off easily and the shell will also be easy to pull off. Remove to a colander and let them continue to thaw and drain. This would be a good job for the kids!!
One key to the delicious flavour of this dish is not to overcook the prawns!! They do not need to be cooked through on the first saute as they will finish cooking in the sauce. They are done as soon as they turn pink!!
We had leftovers which were delicious reheated very gently on the stovetop (so as not to overcook the prawns) with a little white wine to thin the sauce. Hmm…an idea for the next time I make this!!
As you can see from the picture, this meal is more than elegant enough to entertain with and with prawns in the freezer you will be ready for last minute company!!