Prawn and coconut curry

Tags

coconut, curry, prawns, Seafood, shellfish, shrimp

I used the medium prawns that are about 25 prawns to a kilo or half a pound.. These are wild caught, fresh prawns. I am rather fussy about my seafood and will only buy wild caught, not farmed, seafood of any kind. About 10 years ago, I watched a documentary on farmed salmon and shrimp and vowed never to eat farmed seafood again. It might be organic but it simply grossed me out so wild and caught in the ocean directly, it is. Luckily, I am able to buy it here without any problem at all and there is usually way more wild caught than farmed at the local market anyway. So, having stopped in at my friendly open air fishmonger at the Tuesday, Le Bugue market, I looked at what was on offer. Initially, I was thinking scallops but they were very expensive (they are part of the Christmas and New Years dinners here in France, so the price skyrockets during this time) and the fishmonger suggested some beautiful, fat, fresh prawns. So, it was decided – prawn curry was on the menu for dinner. Not being a huge fan of rice, I stopped in at the boulangerie on the way home and bought two fresh, still hot from the oven, naan breads. Side dish, tick.

Prawns and shrimp are sold in a number of different ways. If you are using, as I did, whole fresh ones, with the head and tail still attached, you will need 300g to 400g (11oz to 14oz) per person. If you are using frozen, or peeled ones then roughly half the weight will suffice.

Serves 3

Ingredients:

1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil
Onion, medium, finely chopped
Thumb-size piece fresh root ginger, grated
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
Pinch of chilli flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
250 ml / 1 cup coconut cream
1 tablespoon tomato concentrate purée
Whole medium prawns, 900g / 2lbs
Cilantro, a small handful, roughly chopped

 

Preparation:

Peel, shell and devein the prawns, set aside
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat
Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent but do not allow to colour
Add the garlic and the ginger and lower heat to medium low
Add the spices and cook for a few minutes, add a drop of water if it starts to burn
Pour in the coconut cream and tomato purée
Stir in the prawns and cook for a few minutes more until they turn pink – take care not to overcook them or they’ll become tough
Sprinkle on the cilantro and serve immediately
Serve with basmati rice or naan bread (or both)
Enjoy!

 

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Coquilles St Jacques / Gratinéed Scallops

Tags

classic french, coquilles st jacques, fiesta fridays, scallops, Seafood, shellfish

Try a French classic today. This is a very elegant dish, perfect as a starter for a fancy dinner party or just as a light meal for yourself and a loved one. Do not be put off by the seemingly long list of ingredients, it is actually very easy to pull together.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

450g / 1 pound bay scallops
1 small onion, finely diced
1/2 lemon, sliced
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons diced shallots
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
170g / 6 oz baby chanterelle mushrooms, stems removed and wiped clean
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Gruyere
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Preparation:

Preheat the broiler / grill
Lightly butter the insides of 4 large ramekins or the scallop shells and place on a baking sheet
Set aside
In a large sauté pan, combine the scallops, onions, lemon slices, bay leaf, wine, and water
Bring to a simmer and gently poach the scallops until just firm, about 3 minutes
Remove with a slotted spoon
Strain the scallop cooking liquid into a clean container
Reserve the scallops on a plate
In a medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat
Add the shallots and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds
Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until tender, about 4 minutes
Remove with a slotted spoon
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan the mushrooms were cooked in and melt over medium heat
Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, to form a light roux
Slowly add the strained poaching liquid, whisking constantly, and cook until thick, about 2 minutes
Add the milk, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and cayenne, and whisk well
Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute
Add the parsley and simmer for 1 minute
Add the cream and Gruyere, stir well, and remove from the heat
Fold in the scallops and mushrooms, and pour into the prepared scallop shells
In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and butter
Sprinkle over the scallop mixture and top with the Parmesan
Place under the broiler/ grill until just crisp and brown, being careful not to overcook, about 2 minutes
Remove from the heat and serve immediately
Enjoy!

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Spicy Mussels, Clams and Shrimp

Tags

clams, mussels, Seafood, shellfish, shrimp. prawns, spicy, tomato broth

I love spicy food, yes, very spicy food but if you are not a fan, this is still a great dish, just tone down the red pepper flakes a bit. Although I must say that I have served this to several people who claimed they did not eat spicy food and they were asking for more bread to mop the sauce up with. It is not really a broth but if you wish to serve it as such, simply add more white wine. The sauce is delicious and so you will want lots of baguette to serve it with. I have served it over tagliatelle pasta as well. This is a good idea if extra guests show up and you want to stretch it out a bit more. The shrimp can be replaced by prawns, langoustines or scampi. I use small littleneck clams, the smallest mussels I can find, (I find them tastier), and large shrimp. Use a good white wine, you will drink the rest with dinner so you want something you will enjoy. The only thing to worry about is not to overcook the shellfish, they will become rubbery.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 echalotes, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
1 cup dry white wine
1 large can diced tomatoes with juices, 800 g / 28 oz
36 small littleneck clams
36 mussels
24 large shrimp
12 torn fresh basil leaves

Preparation:

Scrub the clams
Wash and debeard the mussels
Peel and devein the shrimp – leave tail on
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat
Add the echalotes, garlic, bay leaf and red pepper flakes
Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes
Add the wine and bring to a boil
Add the tomatoes
Simmer, stirring often for 5 minutes
Add clams, cover, cook for 5 minutes
Add mussels, cover, cook another 3 minutes
Add shrimp and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until the shrimp are pink
Remove the bay leaf
Sprinkle the basil leaves
Enjoy!