Prawns

Chelseagirl · Prawns

I have bought a bag of frozen prawns for my son.
I hate fish, and have never cooked prawns.

What do I do? He would like them with pasta or rice.

Also hubby wants a prawn cocktail.
Help.
What do I do?

madsue

CG what colour are the prawns? And have they already peeled? If they are pink then they are already cooked, if they are a grey colour then they will need cooking.

If you tell me that, then I'll try and help with some dishes....prawns are my favouritist thing in the world!!!

snowqueen4

Sounds as though they are already cooked to me?

madsue

I would imagine so too! So, for a prawn cocktail I mix a bit of tomato ketchup with some mayo, chop up iceberg lettuce, a bit of cucumber, and then add a bit of chopped up pineapple ring, add the prawns and mix it all up together!

For pasta or rice, I would just make the dish, and then only add the prawns at the last minute, purely to heat them through, cos I have found they tend to go a bit mushy if you're not careful.

Any help there?

Chelseagirl

Thanks Sue,

Yes they must be cooked, because they are pink and peeled.

How long would you say to heat them up?
They are only little ones.
I don't want to give him food poisoning

madsue

No time at all CG, perhaps a couple of minutes in the hot pasta, or rice. Or perhaps a couple minutes more if you put them in the hot dish frozen.

I would really say though that frozen cooked prawns are much nicer eaten in a prawn cocktail, or salad, or a sandwich. You really need uncooked prawns for hot dishes IMO.

Acorncup

You can eat them cold, chelseagirl, in prawn cocktail and suchlike, so they don't need "cooking" just heating up for a couple of minutes?

But you do need to thaw them out for a couple of hours, I usually put them in a sieve in a cereal bowl .....then rinse them when they're thawed out.

as madsue says, they will go mushy (or rubbery when I do it!!) if you overcook them

ohh I'm looking forward to your recipes madsue

madsue

Those were my recipes acorn!!! Out here the prawns are normally not cooked, so need cleaning first (which I absolutely HATE doing). When I do buy the cooked frozen ones, they still have their skins on, so I just pull off their heads and tails and yomp them down!!!!!!

Did you mean acorn, that you still heat them up to put in prawn cocktails and the like? Cos I don't at all, just put them straight into the cocktails from the packet. Oooh and they would be really good in an omelette I reckon! Just plop a few defrosted ones into the middle of the omelette before you fold it in half.

Channel H

Chelseagirl

He don't like Advacado.

They have prawns half price in Morrisons

Thanks all for advice.

Good_Queen_Bess

I agree with Sue. Yes, cooked prawns can easily be overcooked and they loose all their flavour and go rubbery.
I don't like prawn cocktail, but if I did make it, that is how I would do it as well.
Prawns are really nice in a stir-fry, but they are better if you use raw ones. However, if you use cooked ones, put them in literally at the end when everything is cooked for a only 10 seconds or they will overcook. Stiring some in some cooked pasta or in a risotto last second would be nice. The heat from the rice/pasta will warm them.
If anyone wants my receipe for risotto, tell me. It's lovely.

Chelseagirl

Can I have your recipe please GQB.

So I can make it for hub and son.

Good_Queen_Bess

OK:
My chicken or seafood paella recipe is actually in the recipe forum, my risotto recipe is similar.

Fry off onions in olive oil in a large shallow frying pan, non stick, until soft. Add 4 cloves or so of garlic. Cook on low so ity doesn't burn for 30 secs.
Have some fish or chicken stock keeping warm in another pan.
Add RISOTTO rice to pan that has onions and garlic in it. I always guess the amount of rice!
Stir in.
Add a large glass of white wine, or a small glass of dry sherry.
STIR CONTINOUSLY until the alcohol has nearly gone. Add a ladel of stock at a time and stir contantly until it has virtually gone, then add another, and repeat this process.
You must keep stiring all the way through, or the rice won't take on that creamy texture.
Keep adding the stock a little at a time until the rice is cooked, although I like mine ever so slightly underdone.
When the risotto is nearly done, add the raw king prawn and stir until done. Stir in some freshly grated parmesan and serve.

If added too early, the prawns will over cook and become rubbery.

It really is gorgeous and rich.

The same recipe can be adapted for chicken, but obviously add it earlier so it cooks.
Peppers are nice too, but I add them at the beginning with the onions.

Chelseagirl

Thanks Jackie,

That sounds delicious.

I will try the Chicken one for me, and yes I love peepers so will add green or red ones.You have made my mouth water now lol

Good_Queen_Bess

Obviously use chicken stock if you're going to do a chicken one. I sometimes add some saffron soaked in a bit of water at the beginning.