These whole prawns sautéed in butter with garlic, white wine, shallots and a splash of cognac make for an incredibly indulgent, almost decadent dish. “Who cooks shrimp in shells?”, someone asked me. Well, everyone should! I can think of at least three very valid reasons:
First, the shell adds a lot of depth to both the sauce and the shrimp itself. Shrimp flesh alone is not capable of delivering those delicious umami flavours.
Second, whilst doing so it also protects the shrimp from overcooking quickly. Even if you’ve kept the heat on for a little too long, you will not end up with dry or rubbery prawns.
Third, it’s a super social experience when everyone sits around the table with a large pot in the middle, dipping the bread, peeling the shrimp, getting loud and messy!
The fourth reason is a little more selfish – imagine how much time you save by not peeling the prawns yourself 😀
Sounds good? I promise, it tastes even better – so let’s go!
The Flavour Affair:
Prawns + Butter + Garlic + Shallots + Dry White Wine + Cognac + Onion Powder
While the combination of butter, garlic and shallots is almost iconic in seafood sauces, I can sense a couple of raised eyebrows at the sight of both white wine and cognac present in this recipe. Please let me explain!
The two have very different sets of aromas, flavours and qualities that contribute to the dish in their own unique way. White wine provides acidity, brightness and light floral notes. On the other hand, cognac with its distilled grape base and aging process in wooden barrels brings in richness and warmth along with fruity and oaky aspects. Combining the two creates a complex, layered flavour profile. Furthermore, the sweetness of cognac tones down the acidity of the wine and makes the overall taste more balanced.
The use of both also differs. White wine is great for deglazing. (Deglazing involves adding liquid to a hot pan to loosen and dissolve the flavorful browned bits stuck to the bottom, known as fond. This process helps incorporate those tasty bits into the sauce). The alcohol evaporates during bubbling on the hot pan.
Cognac is added at a later stage, and the alcohol evaporates through flambé. Flambé is a technique where alcohol is briefly ignited to create a burst of flames. As they die out, they impart a subtle caramelized flavour and leave an aromatic tail.
Preparation tips for Whole Prawns with Butter, Garlic and Cognac:
- Use large prawns. They take a bit longer to cook, allowing more time for the shells to share their flavour with the sauce.
- If you don’t mind some extra work, use small scissors to make a cut through the shell along the back. This will make it easier to peel once cooked and you can also remove the vein by lifting it with a small knife and rinsing off the residue in cold water.
- While flambé is a very exciting thing to try in your kitchen, you must exercise caution because it does involve an open flame. Safety measures include keeping a lid nearby to smother the flames if necessary and ensuring that the pan is away from flammable materials.
Serving suggestions:
Bread, more bread and some more bread! Nothing else – just enough of fresh, preferably warm, crusty bread to mop up the irresistibly delicious juices.
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Whole Prawns with Butter, Garlic and Cognac
Equipment
- 1 Large non-stick casserole
Ingredients
- 1 kg large prawns
- 50 g butter
- 1 glass dry white wine
- 4 garlic cloves sliced
- 2 shallots sliced
- A splash of cognac
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tsp onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash the prawns and make cuts along the back using small scissors. Pick up the vein with a knife and rinse off the residue with cold water.
- Melt the butter in a large non stick pan or casserole and fry garlic and shallots for a few minutes until fragrant.
- Add the wine and simmer for a few minutes until the alcohol evaporates.
- Pour in the cognac and quickly set alight using a gas lighter. Take caution and keep your distance!
- The flames will shortly subside on their own. If they are too high, put them down by placing a lid on.
- Add the onion powder, lemon juice and the prawns. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes, moving around once or twice.
- Serve with lots of bread for picking up the delicious sauce.
Notes
- These prawns are best consumed immediately or shortly after cooking while still warm.
