We all have our favourite types of luxury foods, and nothing quite matches a dish containing something you truly love the taste of and don’t get to eat every day. For many, perhaps due to the associations with holidays and sunshine, seafood is a top choice in the luxury food department. Exquisite fruits of the sea can be hard to acquire, but are so rewarding when they’re cooked to perfection and complemented by other fantastic food products.
One of our favourite options at Fine Food Specialist is prawns. With a truly impressive array of prawn products available, our latest blog takes a look at what makes prawns so special, what varieties are available, and how to enjoy prawns to their fullest extent.
Why prawns?
Prawns have a distinctive seafood taste, so anybody who loves that fresh feeling on the palate is bound to enjoy prawns as a go-to special meal option. They provide a delicious yet convenient seafood option, with a variety of styles and ways to enjoy prawns available. Prawns are also relatively easy to prepare, meaning you don’t have to be a gourmet chef to enjoy these delicious seafood sensations.
What types of prawns are there?
The good news for anybody who is already chomping at the bit is that there are many different types of prawns to choose from. Among the most popular varieties of prawn are Tiger prawns and King prawns, while varieties like Banana prawns and School prawns are also popular choices.
Prawns are also fairly well spread across the world’s oceans, with subtle differences between the prawns you’ll find in different geographical corners of the planet. Our range at Fine Food Specialist looks to bring together the very best prawns on offer from around the world.
How to cook prawns
Compared to some luxury food types, prawns are relatively easy to cook. If fresh, prawns can be cooked in a surprisingly short time. You can stir fry prawns on a high heat in 3-4 minutes. Just make sure they have turned pink and are cooked all the way through. Pan frying prawns is a great way to enjoy these flavours, but you can also poach and grill prawns. Whichever method you choose, we’d recommend you devein your prawns. This is where you remove the prawn’s intestinal tracts.
You don’t have to do the deveining - it’s a personal preference thing. But we think generally that deveined prawns and shrimp for that matter taste that bit better. If you prefer to leave the shell on prawns when cooking them, the whole deveining point becomes redundant. This is a further cooking option, while leaving the tail on your prawns is another.
How to store prawns
Prawns can be stored relatively easily, and as long as you’re vigilant with your storage there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy your prawns over and over again. Whether cooked or raw, you can freeze fresh prawns and they should be fine in your freezer for up to 3 months. You can also keep prawns in an airtight container within your fridge for up to 3 days. One word of warning - prawns shouldn’t be refrozen once they have been defrosted.
Our favourite prawn recipes
There’s a true element of artistry when it comes to cooking seafood and creating beautiful dishes that are sure to wow. Prawns are such a flexible and tasty option for your kitchen that there is a real variety of ways to enjoy prawn dishes and savour the flavour. This recipe for Jumbo Tiger Prawn with a chicory and tardivo salad is one of our favourites.
The simplicity of the cooking and preparation is surprising considering how tasty the results are. You can watch the video recipe here. You can also try this beautiful wild garlic pesto spaghetti with prawns for a simple yet delicious light meal.
You can also put your own spin on prawns with ease. Why not add a dash of olive oil or lemon juice after cooking? Or some garlic sauce to create a beautiful garlic prawn dish? Or even a delicious prawn cocktail? There’s a host of options available, so take the time to prepare a gorgeous prawn meal and enjoy with friends or family.
The Fine Food Specialist range
You don’t think we’d put together a blog like this without having a host of incredible prawn products on offer ourselves, do you? Fine Food Specialist has a phenomenal range of specialist prawns as part of our wider specialist shellfish range.
Highlights include our Sicilian Gambero Rosso Prawns, as well as our Wild Carabineros Prawns, which are truly huge. We also have Wild Langoustine tails, as well as Whole Tiger Prawns - a firm favourite with our regular shoppers.
There’s also a number of prawn products suitable for sushi meals, so browse through our full range today and find a great buy for your kitchen. Hopefully this blog has whet your appetite for some delicious seafood, and prawns that will prove truly delightful once ready and on your plate.
Be sure to get in touch with the Fine Food Specialist team if you have any questions about our range.
