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Summer and Seafood

We are in the peak of summer here in Sydney and that means beaches, wine, and delicious seafood! What better way to enjoy the Aussie heat than with a staple in the Australian diet, prawns. But don’t just serve them cold and leave your taste buds wanting more, learn how to cook prawns the right way. John Lanzafame, Executive Chef of MàZi Restaurant here at Lantern Club, has a passion for seafood and encourages people to try something new. He has put together three unique and tasty prawn recipes that you can make at home! But before you start cooking, here are some tips on where to buy your prawns and how to select the perfect ones for your next meal.

Where to Buy

There are tons of places you can buy prawns from, but are you sure you are getting the freshest ingredients? We recommend you choose a local fishmonger with high turnover to ensure freshness. The local fish market at Pyrmont also has some great quality prawns that are delightfully fresh and tasty.

How to Select

Now you’re at the right place, but choosing the perfect prawns may be a little tricky. First off, be sure to use all your senses. The highest quality prawns should have a light, ocean-like smell. When buying pre-cooked prawns, they should have a bright red or orange colour, have a firm texture, and should not have any black spots near the head or tail. When buying green prawns (raw prawns), they tend to have a softer texture, more of a green hue, and look a bit wetter. And second, be sure the prawns are kept cold or frozen. The colder they are, the fresher they stay. This applies at home, too. Keep the prawns frozen until you absolutely need them.

John Lanzafame’s Prawn Recipes

Ok, now that you know where and how to choose the ideal prawns, let’s get into how to cook them. John Lanzafame has comprised 3 simple recipes that can be made right at home.
Not in the cooking mood? Book a table at MàZi and enjoy a number of our delicious dishes.

Recipe #1 – Garlic Prawns

how to cook prawns

Ingredients

  • 100ml olive oil
  • 5 garlic cloves, sliced
  • ½ long red chilli, seeds removed, thinly sliced
  • 1 small ox heart tomato, peeled and diced
  • 8 basil leaves, torn
  • 12 large raw prawns, peeled and deveined with tails intact
  • Crusty bread to serve

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan over high heat
  2. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes or until just golden, then add chilli and tomato
  3. Bring to a simmer, add basil and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  4. Add prawns, stir to combine and cook for 2-3 minutes or until just cooked through
  5. Divide prawns and sauce among small bowls and serve with crusty bread for mopping

Recipe #2 – Chilli Garlic Prawn Pizza

how to cook prawns

Ingredients

  • 200g pizza dough
  • 30ml olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, sliced
  • 30g chilli, sliced
  • 45g chopped parsley
  • 80g buffalo mozzarella
  • 12 large green ocean king prawns, peeled
  • 50ml salsa verde

Method

  1. Roll out pizza dough until thin leaving a border around pizza
  2. Spread olive oil evenly around base
  3. Then shred mozzarella and spread evenly around
  4. Then add garlic, chilli and parsley
  5. Place prawns evenly around pizza
  6. Place pizza on well-oiled tray, bake in oven at 280 degrees
  7. Take the pizza out of the oven when base is golden brown, no longer than 5 minutes

Or come in and try MàZi’s very own Chilli Prawn Pizza, served all day! Check out our menu to see all our other tasty meals on offer.

Recipe #3- Linguine with Garlic, Oil and Prawns

how to cook prawns

Ingredients

  • 375g dried linguine
  • 80ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
  • 4 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 4 anchovy fillets, chopped
  • 1 tbs confit red chilli or 1 long red chilli, seeds removed and thinly sliced
  • 20 raw medium prawns, peeled, deveined and halved lengthways
  • 1 handful of flat-leaf Italian parsley leaves, chopped
  • Poor man’s parmesan

Method

  1. Cook the linguine in large saucepan of salted boiling water until al dente, then drain
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large heavy-based frying pan over high heat. Add garlic and cook until it just starts to brown and crisp up
  3. Add anchovy and chilli and stir for 1 minute
  4. Add prawns and parsley, season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – keeping in mind that anchovies are already salty – then toss for 1-2 minutes or until prawns are just cooked through
  5. Add linguine to the prawn mixture, reduce heat to low and toss until linguine is well coated
  6. Serve immediately, drizzled with a little oil and scattered with poor man’s parmesan

These dishes are sure to satisfy your seafood cravings! Give one a try yourself or book a table now to enjoy more delicious meals at MàZi today.

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