On dealing with prawns.

[Tengu]

Yesterday I got some mixed seafood packs from Morrisons...with a pack of vegatable golden rice, these make quick and dirty paella.

but they had shell on prawns in them, which got me thinking.

To my mind the main purpose of whole bugs is;

a) To give fish eating lifeforms something to do.

b) To gross out real meat eaters.

c) to create smelly waste.

d) and lastly, to make fish stock from.

But is there more? I like prawns, I dont mind pulling their gubbins off, are shell on prawns cheaper than the naked ones?

 

[brambles]

Selling them shell on means you don't have to pay someone to shell them and you are packing less actual prawns by weight, win win for the retailer.

 

[scottishwolf]

Eating them is perectly fine with the shells on. In Vietnam they eat most if not all shrimp/prawn species with shell on. Pull the head off, sook out the tasty stuff then eat it. Followed by the legs, shell, meat etc from the rest of it. It takes a bit to get used to the texture that us Brits aint used to but it is tasty

 

[santaman2000]

Are you just talking about the "shell" on? Or are you also talking about with the head still on as well?

Shell on is normal for buying raw ones; shell off should be pre-cooked. Head on is cheaper BUT! Once you remove the head you lose a lot of the weight you paid for. Shells weigh next to nothing.

 

[Tengu]

Oh, they have the head which is of course massive.

I think Ill stick to the pre peeled.

 

[cbr6fs]

I always try and buy full prawns with the head and the shell, they're a LOT tastier to me.

If they're small (size of your thumb) then we tend to eat the whole over here, if they're large then we'll pull the heads off and skin at the table.
The heads are really really tasty btw.

Trick is to tip the head up so the hole where the body was is on the top, squeeze some lemon inside it's head then suck it all out.

Really really tasty

 

[mountainm]

I always try and buy full prawns with the head and the shell, they're a LOT tastier to me.

If they're small (size of your thumb) then we tend to eat the whole over here, if they're large then we'll pull the heads off and skin at the table.
The heads are really really tasty btw.

Trick is to tip the head up so the hole where the body was is on the top, squeeze some lemon inside it's head then suck it all out.

Really really tasty

 

[cbr6fs]

Sorry MM i have no idea what your reference is, i'm guessing it's a movie or a TV show?


My idea of prawns with the heads still attached is more this

yum yum

 

[spandit]

Eating insects is like eating prawn shells - tasty but an odd texture

 

[cbr6fs]

Eating insects is like eating prawn shells - tasty but an odd texture

Depends on the size and how they're cooked.

Small grilled shrimps tend to be crunchy on the outside, if you cook a shrimp saganaki though the shells/heads tend to be a lot softer, still chewy but less crunchy.

It's a shame but generally in the UK we are so spoilt, so much of the animals we kill to eat is wasted.
Over here at Easter when we have lamb nothing is wasted, brains, eyes, the intestines are used to make kokoretsi, even the bones are used to make stock.

Likewise if you look at a table in a Greek fish restaurant after the diners have left there is very very little left, you'd struggle to recognise they ate fish at all if it wasn't for the bones.

The eyes for a example are usually fought over they're THAT good, the bit of flesh on the fishes cheek is sooooooooooo tasty yet more often than not discarded in the UK, the skin is usually eaten again not common in the UK.


It's a shame cause when i was a kid (i'm 45 now) it used to be the same in England, problem is the supermarkets took over and push pre-packaged food, so we have kid in the UK that can't put the fact that fish fingers come from fish together

 

[mountainm]

Sorry MM i have no idea what your reference is, i'm guessing it's a movie or a TV show?


My idea of prawns with the heads still attached is more this




yum yum

indeed, a good film, essentially about apartheid - the Aliens we're referred to derogatively and collectively as prawns.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1136608/

 

[boatman]

Next year will you catch your own? Some good spots not far from you, such as Flushing, Kiln Quay beach.

 

[santaman2000]

Depends on the size and how they're cooked.....

The best way to cook medium shrimp is the Low Country Boil; heads off and shell on (peel and eat at the table):

For larger shrimp the best way is to simply grill them; again with the heads off but the shell still on (peel at the table):

http://fooditforward.files.wordpres...571326857_1636167214_2475893_1959051531_n.jpg

For medium to small shrimp the best way is either Gumbo (cook them with the heads on or off to make the broth then peel them and add the tail meat back to your gumbo recipe):



Or (small to medium shrimp) in Jambalaya (again, cook with the shells on for the broth then peel and add the tail meat back to your recipe):

The second best way to cook shrimp (and a very close second it is) is in a Cajun seafood sauce over pasta (cook with the shells on and the heads off, then peel and add the tail meat to the recipe:

 

[Tengu]

Santaman; I would like recipes for all of those, or theres going to be a riot.

Boatman; I am a lubber...how do I catch prawns? Does it require a harpoon??

 

[northumbrian]

don't forget to cut out the poop shute running down the back of the prawn !

 

[rik_uk3]

Prawns, butter, garlic, tarragon fried off together, a simple salad/white wine vinegar dressing and bread to scoop up any liquid...simple and lovely.

 

[santaman2000]

Santaman; I would like recipes for all of those, or theres going to be a riot.

Boatman; I am a lubber...how do I catch prawns? Does it require a harpoon??

LOL. I'll se what I can link for you.

The Low Country Boil is the easiest. It's just what it implies. Bring the water to a rolling boil, with plenty of onions (quartered) and Cajun seasoning. Chuck in the corn on the cob and potatoes (if you choose to add potatoes) Let cook for about 5 minutes then chuck in the shrimp and cook another 5 minutes. Remove everything from the water and serve. (pretty much the same thing as you would do for a crawfish boil)

Grilled shrimp is just what it says. Skewer the shrimp and season then (again with Cajun seasoning) and put them on the grill for about 4 minutes (turn them once about half way through the cooking time) and serve.

Shrimp Gumbo and Jambalaya will take me a little while to look up.

 

[boatman]

Catch prawns or shrimps in a shrimping net pushed along the sea just off the beach or use prawn pot or trap. Trego had some cheap collapsible prawn traps with a neat zipped compartment to put the bait in. You might get a crab or two, perhaps of the smaller but still tasty species. Razor clams were plentiful at a very low tide on a beach near Falmouth last time I looked.

 

[santaman2000]

This recipe is for Crawfish Etouffee (pronounced: et-two-fay) but it works just as well if you substitute the shrimp for the crawfish:

[h=3]Recipe Ingredients:[/h]

• 1/4 cup butter
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Creole seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 pound cooked Louisiana crawfish tail meat (thaw if frozen)
• hot cooked rice, as needed

- See more at: http://www.louisianatravel.com/culinary/recipes/louisiana-crawfish-étouffée#sthash.cBMz3beh.dpuf

[h=3]Recipe Directions:[/h]In a heavy skillet or Dutch oven, melt the butter and then stir in the flour. Cook and stir constantly over low heat for about 20 minutes, until mixture is a caramel-colored paste. Add the celery, pepper, and onions; stir until coated.
Add the broth, water, parsley, tomato paste, bay leaf, salt, pepper, garlic powder, Creole seasoning, and cayenne. Stir the pot well to make sure that the roux is well incorporated and there are no lumps.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring
- See more at: http://www.louisianatravel.com/culinary/recipes/louisiana-crawfish-étouffée#sthash.cBMz3beh.dpuf

 

[nephilim]

I tend to cook prawns or shrimp about 5 mins after catching, and cook them whole. I tend to eat them shell on also...the head is full of tastiness, and if you don't want to eat the head, then use them to make a stock. Win/Win.