Recipe: B.C. Spot Prawns with Shellfish Butter Sauce

In case you haven’t noticed, B.C. boasts some of the best seafood in the world, and come late spring, there are events and recipes that celebrate the bounty of the seas. Vancouver’s Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts welcomes spot prawn season with a recipe of B.C. spot prawns with shellfish butter sauce, piment d’espelette, tarragon and grilled baguette.

Yield: Serves 2

Ingredients

Prawns

• 10–12 large BC spot prawns
• salt to taste
• small squeeze of lemon juice

Shellfish Butter Sauce

• shells and heads from the prawns
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1  shallot, finely sliced
• 1 small garlic clove, sliced
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 60 ml dry white wine
• 120 ml light shellfish stock or water
• 60 ml heavy cream
• 60 g cold unsalted butter, diced
• ¼ tsp Piment d’Espelette
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp fresh tarragon, chopped
• 1 tsp chives, chopped
• salt to taste

To Finish

• 2 slices baguette or sourdough
• Olive oil to taste
• Optional: fennel herbs, chervil, micro herbs

Method

• Twist off the prawn heads and peel the bodies, reserving all shells and heads for the sauce. Lightly season the prawns with salt.
• Brush the bread with olive oil and grill or toast until golden and crisp.
• For the sauce, heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil followed by the prawn shells and heads. Cook for 1–2 minutes, crushing slightly with a spoon to release flavour and aroma.
• Add the shallot and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 30 seconds.
• Deglaze with the white wine and reduce by half. Add the stock or water and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the cream and simmer for another minute.
• Strain the sauce into a clean pan, pressing firmly on the shells to extract as much flavor as possible.
• Return the sauce to medium heat and gradually whisk in the cold butter until glossy and emulsified.
• Season with the piment d’espelette, lemon juice, salt, tarragon, and chives. Keep warm without boiling.
• Heat a clean sauté pan until hot. Add a small touch of oil and quickly sauté the spot prawns for about 45 seconds on the first side and 30 seconds on the second side. The prawns should be just cooked and still juicy.
• To plate, spoon the shellfish butter sauce onto warm plates. Arrange the spot prawns over the sauce and serve with the grilled bread. Finish with herbs and a light pinch of piment d’espelette.