Last week I made this for a friend who hadn't seen me in forever. We planned drinks in town but hadn't necessarily decided on dinner. The speed of this dish from start to table, can't be beat. Deciding we didn't fancy dinner out, I made this. Big on taste yet satisfyingly light. Perfect!
The prawns are sautéed in the rendered chouriço fat. Next garlic, chilli, vermouth, shell stock and cream are added. Proof that sometimes simple is better. With so few ingredients it is amazing how good this tastes. I like to throw in some super juicy, ripe baby plum tomatoes, just for colour.
This is HEAVEN on a plate. If possible I recommend Noilly Prat Original Dry Vermouth. The flavour profile is complex and superior to all others. Remember that will flavour your sauce and take it to celestial heights.
King Prawn Chouriço Linguine in a Creamy Vermouth Sauce with Chilli
Serves 4
800 g. Black Tiger Prawns, raw, head on shell on
400 g. Linguine
130 g. Chouriço (chorizo)diced or sliced
175 g. Baby plum tomatoes, halved
250 ml. Shrimp stock, made in 10 minutes using
heads and shells of prawns
125 ml. Noilly Prat Original dry Vermouth
300 ml. Single cream
30 ml. Extra virgin olive oil
10 whole peppercorns, for stock
6 Cloves of garlic, sliced very thinly
1 Chilli, red, seeded and finely chopped
1 Lemon, juice and zest
1 Bunch fresh corriander, chopped to finish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano
1. Remove shells and heads from prawns, devein and add prepared prawns to a bowl. Season with lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper and set aside.
Place heads and shells in a saucepan and cover with fresh cold water. Add bay leaf and peppercorns. Slowly bring to a simmer on medium heat and let cook for 10 mins. After 10 mins. Strain through a fine sieve, and with the help of the back of a wooden spoon, press down firmly on shrimp heads to extract maximum flavour. Discard shells and heads, set stock aside.
2. Put a large pot of generously salted water on the boil for the pasta.
3. Heat a large frying pan on high heat and add chouriço. Fry stirring until crisp and fat is rendered. About 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add olive oil, garlic, marinated prawns, and chilli. Fry turning once and prawns turn pink, about 2 mins.
Add Noilly Prat and let cook 2 minutes more. Remove prawns to a plate, uncovered and set aside while you finish sauce.
4. Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions for "al dente", about 9 minutes.
5. To finish sauce, add 250ml. reservered shrimp stock to frying pan. Cook uncovered on med/high heat for 10 mins. or until sauce reduces by half. Add tomatoes and cook 2 more mins. Reduce heat to low, add cream, prawns and chopped fresh corriander, cook to warm through prawns , about 30 seconds. Turn off heat.
Drain pasta and return to pot. Pour in sauce and stir to incorporate. Serve immediatly with some freshly grated Italian hard cheese of your choice. I like Grana Padano.
Enjoy xoxoxoxo