Prawn Fennel Cocktail Recipes

AVOCADO, PRAWN & FENNEL COCKTAILS

Steps:

• Make the dressing by mixing the oil and citrus juices together in a small bowl with some salt and pepper, then set aside.
• In a bowl, toss all the other ingredients, except the rocket, together with the orange segments and half of the dressing. Scatter the rocket leaves into 4 Martini glasses or small bowls, pile the salad into the centre, then drizzle with the remaining dressing just before serving.

PRAWN & FENNEL COCKTAIL

Steps:

• To make the rouille, use a pestle and mortar to mash chilli and garlic to a smooth paste. Bring the saffron to a simmer with 4 tbsp of water. Stir saffron water, garlic and chilli into the mayonnaise and put in the fridge, until ready to use.
• Cut the fennel into quarters, remove the cores and use a Japanese mandolin or sharp knife to slice as thinly as possible. Bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the fennel for 1 min until just wilted. Drain and tip into iced water. Drain again and use a cloth to wring out all the excess water, then leave in the fridge.
• To assemble the dish, season the fennel with the sugar, salt, a decent grinding of pepper and the lemon juice. Cut most of the prawn tails in half, saving a whole one for each serving. Mix the chopped prawns into the fennel, then add the chopped chervil and tarragon and enough rouille to bind everything together (about 6-7 tbsp). Half-fill 6-8 martini glasses loosely with the fennel mix. Place the mixed leaves on top, then a whole prawn tail, then drizzle with the fennel juices that will have collected at the bottom of the bowl. Serve straight away with a wedge of lemon.

SPANISH-STYLE PRAWNS WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Peel and finely slice the garlic, then trim and slice the fennel. Pick and roughly chop the parsley leaves, and roughly chop the stalks.
• Heat a good lug of oil in a saucepan and gently fry the garlic till golden.
• Add the fennel and parsley stalks, then reduce the heat to low and sauté for 10 minutes, or until softened but not coloured.
• Halve half the tomatoes, leaving the rest whole, then add to the pan with the wine. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened. If it's too thick, add a splash of water.
• Peel the prawns, leaving the tails on, then butterfly them by cutting along the back of each one and opening them out like a book.
• Add to the pan and cook for 4 minutes, or until they're cooked and pink.
• Stir through parsley leaves and season. Serve with lemon wedges and nice bread.

FENNEL-PRAWN CONCHIGLIE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 10 minutes; drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of the water.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Saute fennel, zucchini, celery, shallots, garlic, and red pepper in hot oil until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes; add prawns and continue to cook until prawns have changed color, about 1 minute per side.
• Pour tomato puree over the vegetables; add fennel seed and stir. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are slightly tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir reserved water from boiling the pasta into the sauce mixture. Season sauce with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour sauce and vegetable mixture over the drained pasta, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, and stir to coat.

SHRIMP WITH FENNEL BITES

Steps:

• Lay out crackers on a serving platter.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add shrimp; season with garlic salt. Cook and stir until pink all the way through, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Place 1 shrimp on each cracker.
• Heat olive oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Add fennel, garlic, and thyme; cook and stir until fennel softens, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Season fennel with salt and pepper. Stir in basil.
• Spoon fennel mixture evenly over shrimp.