Prawns with Chardonnay

Last night’s dinner was worthy of a photo in a magazine.  But wait, it was a photo in a magazine that inspired me to make it.  I got this recipe from Wine Spectator.  Chef Jose Garces, of JG Domestic in Philadelphia is the creator of this dish.  He gets hi prawns from a special shrimp farm in Maryland.  I got mine from Costco.  This dish serves 4 and is absolutely delicious. 

Ingredients:

3 T vegetable oil, divided

½ C Vidalia or other sweet onion, diced

½ C fresh fennel bulb, diced, reserving the green fronds for garnish

2 garlic cloves, chipped

20 (U-10) prawns or about 2# of similar-size shrimp, heads and shells removed and reserved.  Leave tails on. 

1 T tomato paste

½ C Chardonnay

2 C prepared shellfish stock or bottled clam juice. (I used shellfish stock from Penzeys)

2 sprigs thyme

Zest of 1 small orange

4T unsalted butter, divided

Kosher salt

2T Italian parsley, finely chopped

4 thick slices of sourdough bread, toasted

Directions:

1.      Heat 1 T of the oil in a medium-size heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion, fennel, and garlic.  Cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. 

2.      Add the prawn heads and shells and cook, stirring frequently, until shells turn bright red, an additional 5 minutes.  (Mine did not have heads)

3.      Add tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, for another 5 minutes.

4.      Add white wine and reduce by ¾. 

5.      Add shellfish stock, thyme, and orange zest.  Bring sauce to a low boil and reduce by half. 

6.      Pass the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean saucepot over low heat, discarding solids. 

7.      Add 2 T butter, and stir to emulsify.  Season to taste with kosher salt.

8.      Heat the remaining 2 T of oil in a large sauté pan over high heat.  Season prawns on both sides with salt and sear on both sides until lightly caramelized and cooked through, about 1-1 1/2 minutes.  Add the remaining 2 T butter and the parsley.  Stir to coat the prawns, and remove from the heat.

9.      Divide the prawns among 4 warmed shallow bowls.  Pour ¼ of finished shellfish sauce into each bowl, and garnish with reserved fennel fronds. 

10.  Serve immediately with toasted sourdough bread.   

If you really have 20 of these prawns, that is 5 each.  I was stuffed with 4.  Although Jim ate 10 and I heard no complaints.  You can buy any number of prawns that would suite a first or main course and then adjust the quanity of sauce separately.  I also thought the sauce would be great with mussels.