Prawn and lemon guazzetto

Guazzetto is an Italian, tomato-based seafood dish, halfway between the texture of a soup and a stew. This version by Adam Liaw features some Chinese kitchen magic in the form of bicarb soda – added to give the prawns a super juicy mouthfeel.

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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The Italian Table

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

Ingredients

• 600 g whole raw prawns, shell-on
• ½ cup (125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 4 garlic cloves, bruised
• 1 cup (250 ml) white wine
• 1 long red chilli, sliced
• 200 ml tomato passata
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• salt and black pepper
• a pinch of bicarbonate of soda
• 1 small lemon
• 2 tbsp finely shredded flat-leaf parsley
• sourdough, to serve

Marinating time: 10 minutes

Instructions

1. Peel the prawns, reserving the prawn heads. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add the prawn heads with the fennel seeds and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the prawn heads are cooked through and slightly crisp, crushing the heads with the wooden spoon to extract as much flavour as possible. Add the wine and bring to a simmer. Remove the prawn heads, then add the chilli, passata and cherry tomatoes.
   
2. While the sauce is cooking, butterfly the prawns and season the prawn meat with salt and bicarbonate of soda in a medium bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes. Cut the lemon into two halves and juice one half, then thinly slice the second half.
   
3. Add the prawns to the saucepan and simmer for about 4 minutes, or until the prawns are just cooked. Stir through the lemon juice, lemon slices and parsley, then transfer to a serving dish. Serve the prawn and lemon guazzetto with crusty sourdough. 

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

The Italian Table

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G