PRAWNS LINGUINE RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Peel the prawns, reserving all the heads and shells. Run a knife down the back and pull out the veins. Keep 4 prawns whole, running your knife down those ones again to butterfly them. Chop the rest of the prawns into small chunks to help distribute that sweet taste throughout the dish.
  2. Put the saffron into a little bowl with a thimble of boiling water.
  3. Place the prawn heads and shells in a large pan on a medium heat with a lug of olive oil and fry while you peel and finely chop the onion, then add it to the pan. Cook until the onion starts to soften, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add the saffron with its soaking water and the anchovies. Turn the heat up, add the wine and cook it away, then add the tinned tomatoes, 1 tin’s worth of water and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 12 minutes.
  5. Leave the sauce to cool a little, then, in small batches, blitz in a blender until smooth, pass through a coarse sieve and season to taste.
  6. Put a large pan of salted water on to boil for the pasta. Peel and finely slice the garlic, quarter the cherry tomatoes and finely slice the chilli. Trim and finely slice the fennel, preferably on a mandolin (use the guard!).
  7. You can make this with the fresh or dried pasta – if you're using fresh, cut the sheets into linguine.
  8. Now it’s time to focus. Great pasta is all about timing and confidence – the sauce takes 4 minutes, so if using dried pasta, get that on first and start the sauce after 8 minutes; if using the fresh, cook it halfway through the sauce process – I don’t want you to overcook the prawns or pasta.
  9. Place a large pan on a high heat and, once hot, add a good lug of olive oil, quickly followed by the garlic and chilli. After 30 seconds, toss in the whole prawns, then after another 6 seconds add the chopped prawns, cherry tomatoes and fennel, and toss again. Pour over the sauce and bring to a simmer.
  10. At this point, drain your cooked pasta and place it on top of the sauce. Toss again, quickly check the seasoning and divide between four bowls, followed by any leftover prawns and sauce. Top each portion with a clump of rocket, add a squeeze of lemon juice and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Eat it, and be proud of yourself.

Steps:

• To make the dressing, mix 2 tbsp virtually fat-free fromage frais, the grated zest and juice of 2 limes and 2 tsp golden caster sugar in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Cook 280g linguine pasta according to the packet instructions. Add 200g trimmed sugar snap peas for the last minute or so of cooking time.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wok or big frying pan, toss in 2 finely chopped large garlic cloves and 1 deseeded and finely chopped large red chilli and cook over a fairly gentle heat for about 30 seconds without letting the garlic brown.
• Tip in 24 peeled raw king prawns and cook over a high heat, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes until they turn pink.
• Add 12 halved cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes until they just start to soften.
• Drain the linguine pasta and sugar snap peas well, then toss into the prawn mixture.
• Tear in a handful of basil leaves, stir, and season with salt and pepper.
• Serve with mixed salad leaves drizzled with the lime dressing, and warm crusty white bread.