Contrary to its name, New Orleans-style prawns are pan-fried or oven-cooked in a spiced butter lemon Worcestershire sauce. For best results, use whole large tiger prawns – shell and heads still on, as these are the best parts to infuse the sauce with gorgeous charred prawn flavour, and serve with sourdough bread to mop up every last bit of it. We like to pan-fry them to minimise the washing up, but you can roast them in the oven at 180°C by tossing the prawns in the sauce in an oven-proof dish and cooking for for 15-20 minutes.
Ingredients for 4 people:
- 1kg of tiger prawns, thawed
- 140g unsalted butter
- 60ml olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped finely
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
- 60ml Worcestershire sauce
- 2 lemons (or limes) for the sauce
- Hot sauce such as Tabasco, optional
- 2 lemons or limes, cut in wedges for garnish
- Freshly chopped parsley, optional for garnish
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Method:
1. If oven-roasting, pre-heat it at 180°C. We prefer Butterfly the prawns by slicing them lengthwise along their back (from head to tail without cutting them completely in halves). Devein them if needed, then season them with a touch of salt and black pepper.
2. In a large frying pan, melt the butter with the olive oil at medium-high heat, then add the garlic and onion to cook until just fragrant (about a minute). Add the four spices and bayleaf to cook for a minute to release the aromas, then pour the Worcestershire sauce and juice of one lemon (or line) and mix to combine while it simmers for a minute. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt & freshly ground black pepper (you can also add more cayenne pepper if you like some heat).
3. Add the prawns to the pan and cook for 2 minutes on one side, stirring occasionally, then turn them to cook for another couple of minutes until they start to turn just pink. Don't overcook them, so you achieve a soft juicy centre. Drizzle with lemon and given them a good toss before serving.
4. Plate the tiger prawns with lemon wedges as garnish and serve with sourdough bread and a side of hot sauce for those who like extra heat.
5. Enjoy!
