Name: Velveted prawns with sweetcorn soup
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 130 min
Total time: 175 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 800 gm uncooked king prawns, peeled, shells reserved, meat coarsely chopped; 35 gm cornflour (¼ cup); 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 80 ml olive oil, plus extra for serving (1/3 cup); 2 onions, finely chopped; ½ tsp cumin seeds; 3 corn cobs, kernels removed; 100 ml dry white wine; 5 garlic cloves, crushed; 2 tbsp chilli oil; ½ cup basil (loosely packed); 2 kipfler potatoes (about 120gm each), cut into to 1cm dice; Pinch of saffron threads; 2 spring onions, thinly sliced diagonally to serve; Prawn stock; 2 each onions, celery stalks and carrots, coarsely chopped; 1 fennel bulb, coarsely chopped; 6 garlic cloves; 150 ml olive oil; 5 flat-leaf parsley stalks; 4 thyme sprigs; 1 fresh bay leaf; 6 black peppercorns; Finely grated rind of 1 orange

Velveted prawns with sweetcorn soup

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for Velveted prawns with sweetcorn soup

Serves 4

Prep

45M

Cook

2H 10M

Total

2H 55M

“At a fantastic meal at Sean’s Panaroma at Bondi Beach, the velveted prawn and sweetcorn soup was the standout dish. I’m hoping chef Sean Moran will share the recipe.”

Lyn Mayo, Brighton, Vic

To request a recipe, write to Fare Exchange, , GPO Box 4088, Sydney, NSW 2001, or email us. All requests should include the restaurant’s name and address or business card, as well as your name and address.

Ingredients

800 gm uncooked king prawns, peeled, shells reserved, meat coarsely chopped

35 gm cornflour (¼ cup)

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

80 ml olive oil, plus extra for serving (1/3 cup)

2 onions, finely chopped

½ tsp cumin seeds

3 corn cobs, kernels removed

100 ml dry white wine

5 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tbsp chilli oil

½ cup basil (loosely packed)

2 kipfler potatoes (about 120gm each), cut into to 1cm dice

Pinch of saffron threads

2 spring onions, thinly sliced diagonally to serve

Prawn stock

2 each onions, celery stalks and carrots, coarsely chopped

1 fennel bulb, coarsely chopped

6 garlic cloves

150 ml olive oil

5 flat-leaf parsley stalks

4 thyme sprigs

1 fresh bay leaf

6 black peppercorns

Finely grated rind of 1 orange

Method

Main

1.For prawn stock, process vegetables and garlic in a food processor to form a paste. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add paste, stir occasionally until golden (10-12 minutes). Add prawn shells, crush with a wooden spoon and stir occasionally until coloured (5-7 minutes). Add herbs, peppercorns, orange rind and 2 litres cold water and bring to the boil. Skim surface (discard scum), reduce heat to low, simmer until well flavoured (40-50 minutes), strain through a muslin-lined sieve to yield 1.2 litres (discard solids) and refrigerate until required.

2.Combine prawns, cornflour and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl and massage mixture into prawns (2-3 minutes). Transfer to a sieve, rinse under cold water and massage prawns again to remove cornflour mixture. Drain well and refrigerate until required.

3.Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add onion, stir occasionally until golden (5-7 minutes). Add cumin, sauté until fragrant (30 seconds-1 minute), add two-thirds of the corn, sauté until opaque (5-7 minutes). Deglaze with white wine, add stock, bring to the boil over medium heat, add garlic and chilli oil. Reduce heat to low, simmer until well flavoured and corn is tender (30-35 minutes). Add basil, strain through a fine sieve into a bowl over ice (reserve liquid). Purée solids with enough reserved liquid (about 1 litre) to form a smooth soup, transfer to a saucepan, add potato, saffron and remaining corn. Simmer over medium-high heat until potato is tender (7-10 minutes). Add prawns, stir until barely cooked through (1-2 minutes), season to taste. Serve hot scattered with spring onion and drizzled with olive oil.