Fatty Prawns and Borlottis

I went to the market today  and bought five fatty prawns. This was even though I am home alone. Home alone with a bowlful of fresh borlotti beans that is. Prawns and borlotti beans are a mean combination and one that I hanker over each autumn when the borlotti beans are ready. It’s such a small window of opportunity to have the fresh beans and find fatty prawns at the same time that even though it seemed slightly sad that I cooked this all for myself  I had to go for it.

I cracked the heads off of the prawns and put them into large pot with a little olive oil and roasted them for a few minutes before bashing them with the end of a rolling pin. When they were well bashed I put enough water to cover, half a diced onion and a stick of celery and bought it to the boil. Once it was bubbling away I turned it to simmer.

The borlotti beans were podded and popped into a pot with a couple of shallots and cooked for twenty minutes. Once they were tender I tossed them in olive oil and a little salt.

The prawn bodies were butterflied and left to relax in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, some chopped garlic and black pepper – this is one of the best ever ways to cook fatty prawns.

I drained the prawn heads. it had reduced down and there was about half a cupful of stock.

In a small pan a I cooked half a diced onion in a little olive oil then stirred in a clove of chopped garlic then I stirred in a grated a ripe tomato – a clever Spanish trick – and the half cupful of stock.

I let this all bubble away whilst I heated a pan and the cooked the prawns

First belly down

Then belly up

I seasoned the sauce, put a puddle on the plate , then a little heap of borlotti beans and piled the prawns on top.

Yum! Absolutely yum!  Even if I do say so myself – mind you my kitchen is trashed and I’m feeling very stuffed!