Ingredients
For the prawns
12 large green king prawns, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely minced
Salt and cracked black pepper
Lemon zest
For the sambuca cream
30g butter
2 shallots, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
60ml sambuca
150ml seafood or fish stock
200ml thickened cream
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and white pepper
Fresh chives or parsley, finely chopped
Method
1. Prepare the prawns
Pat the prawns dry and toss with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and a little lemon zest. Set aside while you prepare the sauce.
2. Start the sambuca cream
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced shallots and cook gently for 3 to 4 minutes until softened but not coloured. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
3. Add the sambuca
Pour in the sambuca and allow it to simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to reduce slightly. Add the seafood stock and simmer until reduced by approximately half.
Note: Don't flambé the sambuca. A gentle simmer is easier to control and gives you a lovely aniseed flavour in the finished sauce.
4. Finish the sauce
Reduce the heat and stir through the cream. Allow it to simmer gently for 4 to 6 minutes until slightly thickened. Add lemon juice, salt and white pepper to taste.
For a smoother, more refined finish, strain the sauce through a fine sieve before serving.
5. Grill the prawns
Heat a grill plate or heavy-based frying pan until hot. Cook the prawns for approximately 1 to 2 minutes per side, depending on their size, until opaque and just cooked through.
6. Plate and serve
Spoon the warm sambuca cream onto the serving plate, arrange three grilled prawns on top and finish with fresh chives, a little lemon zest and cracked pepper.
Serving Suggestions
Perfect for a light bite, simply chop the prawns into smaller pieces and spoon over crisp crackers with a little sambuca cream.
For a more substantial dish, serve three whole grilled prawns over a bed of fluffy steamed rice, generously drizzled with sambuca cream and finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon.
