Monday, February 15, 2016

Peri Peri Prawns

Peri Peri Prawns 3

In case you hadn't noticed (I'm sure you did), this little blog of mine has been sadly neglected over the last few months.  I could give you a dozen or more excuses for that - all of them valid, but all of them equally boring to anybody else but me.  So I'm going to dispense with the lame excuses, and cut straight to the chase - the blog is back, and I'm kicking things off this week with some fiery prawns ... just the thing to wake up the taste buds and a dormant blog.

I'm cooking along with my friends at I Heart Cooking Clubs this week, where we are revisiting a cooking club favourite chef - Tessa Kiros.  I absolutely loved the time we spent cooking with Tessa a couple of years ago, and her book Falling Cloudberries became (hands down) the most used cookbook in my collection.

I had bookmarked Tessa's recipe for Prawns with Lemon, Peri Peri, Garlic & Feta ages ago, and a hot summer evening last night seemed like the perfect occasion to try it.  I made very little changes to the recipe, other than to adjust quantities (since I had no need to feed six people), substituted chilli flakes for peri peri seasoning which I didn't have, and I baked the dish in the oven instead of on the stovetop.

This dish was incredibly simple to prepare, absolutely bursting with the kind of flavours that I love, and served alongside a simple Greek salad, instantly transported me back to the Greek island holidays I've enjoyed so much in the past - if you want to travel without the hassle of packing a suitcase or renewing your passport, this is the dish that will take you there.

Peri Peri Prawns 2

Peri Peri Prawns Recipe
Serves 2
Adapted from recipe by Tessa Kiros
from Falling Cloudberries
Click here for a printable copy of this recipe

400g raw prawns
1-2 tablespoons butter
4x large cloves garlic, finely chopped
large handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
very generous pinch of chilli flakes
flaky sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
1x lemon, finely grated zest & juice
150g feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (390 degrees F).

Choose an ovenproof baking dish that will be just large enough to hold all the prawns in three layers.

In a small bowl mix together the finely chopped garlic and parsley, chilli flakes, lemon zest, and a generous seasoning of flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Dot some of the butter liberally around the base of the baking dish and cover with a layer of prawns. Sprinkle over a third of the garlic mixture, and dot generously with more butter.  Cover with another layer of prawns, sprinkle over half of the remaining garlic mixture, and once again dot with more butter.  Finish with the final layer of prawns, sprinkle over the remaining garlic mixture, and dot with some more butter.

Peri Peri Prawns 1

Cover dish and place into the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven, drizzle over the lemon juice, and crumble the feta over the top.  Baste with some of the buttery prawn juices which by now will have settled in the bottom of the dish.  Return to the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes (or longer as necessary), until the prawns are cooked through and the feta is just starting to melt and turn golden.

Remove from the oven and serve immediately, with a simple salad and some crusty bread to mop up the juices.

If you would like to get to know Tessa a little better, then do go and visit my friends at I Heart Cooking Clubs and see what they've all cooked up ...

... or check out Falling Cloudberries and many of Tessa's other great titles available from Amazon or Fishpond NZ.

         





16 comments:

  1. Yay! So happy to have you back blogging and especially cooking along with us at IHCC this week Sue. These prawns look amazing. You had me with "buttery prawn juices" even before you added the melted feta. Yum! ;-)

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    1. Thanks, Deb - it's nice to feel as though I'm getting back into the "groove" again. These prawns should definitely be on your list if you haven't already made them - I know you would love this dish xo

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  2. This is my first time with Tessa but I can see why everyone has loved her. This shrimp dish looks good and a lot easier than traveling to Greece.

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    1. This may be your first time with Tessa, Diane, but I'm sure it won't be your last!! This is a great dish, and whilst it will transport your tastebuds to the Greek islands for sure, I highly recommend packing your bags if you ever get the opportunity :-)

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  3. Hi Sue! Glad to see you and your lovely recipes again! Yay!

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    1. Thank you so much, Joyce - I hope you enjoy this one :-)

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  4. Thrilled to have you cooking along with us. I gave this recipe a long look. Seeing your dish here makes me want to cook it all the more.

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    1. Thank you :-) I definitely recommend you give this recipe a try - you won't be disappointed. Thanks for stopping by.

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  5. Lovely to have you back again too, Sue! Hope things get better for you & look forward to seeing you up here some time.

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    1. Thanks, Lesley - things are definitely looking up :-) Will probably be up in Auckland again early May - will definitely make time for a catch up. Hugs xo

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  7. Nice to see you back, Sue, and with my favourite seafood recipe. It looks so tasty!

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  8. I have so missed you and your recipes! Hope you are getting settled into your new home and loving it! I am currently dreaming of a Greek island right now:) Of course some spicy shrimp with feta would make this dream even more perfect! This is no doubt THE dish to return to after a much needed break! Love to you. xoxo

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  9. Welcome back, Sue! It's lovely to see you sharing again. I understand about taking a hiatus very well. Falling Cloudberries is a marvelous book and I love all the flavors packed into this dish you made.

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  10. I also made a shrimp fish last night with feta cheese and tomatoes, we were thinking alike!

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  11. Hi Sue,
    So happy to see you back to posting with us! This dish looks delicious. I love prawns especially when it is on the spicier side with the generous amount of chili flakes! Yums!

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