Category: lunch

Easy Mushroom Pie

22 January 2026

Thyme, oregano, nutty mushrooms and Parmesan cheese: a delicious combination at the heart of this easy mushroom pie. We used ready-made puff pastry, so making the filling is all you need to do.

Oregano (Origanum Vulgare) is typical for the Mediterranean cuisine. The leaves have an intense, earthy, slightly bitter taste. Use it when making tomato sauce, grilled vegetables or a lamb stew. Dried oregano is nearly as tasty as fresh oregano. When buying fresh oregano, make sure you’re not buying marjoram (Origanum Majorana) because its flavour is less intense and a bit sweet. To add to the confusion: oregano is also called wild marjoram whereas marjoram is called sweet marjoram.

Wine Pairing

We enjoyed our easy mushroom pie with a glass of Bardolino, made by Monte del Frà from Italy. The grapes used are Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. It is a well-balanced, vibrant ruby red wine with lots of fruit and a hint of spices. Medium acidity. In general, you’re looking for a refreshing red wine with lots of fruit that should be served slightly chilled.

What You Need
  • 200 grams of firm Mushrooms, we used small Eryngii
  • 50 grams of Pancetta
  • 3 Eggs
  • 50 grams of Crème Fraîche
  • Parmesan Cheese
  • Thyme
  • Oregano
  • Shallot
  • 2 cloves of Garlic
  • Puff Pastry
  • Olive Oil
What You Do
  1. Warm a skillet
  2. Chop the shallot, the garlic and the oregano
  3. Clean the mushrooms and slice in two if so required
  4. Add some olive oil to the pan
  5. Add slices of pancetta
  6. Fry until crispy
  7. Transfer to a plate with kitchen paper
  8. Add the shallot to the pan and fry on low heat
  9. After a few minutes add the mushrooms and fry over medium heat
  10. After a few minutes add the garlic
  11. Reduce heat
  12. When all nicely done, add the thyme and the chopped oregano
  13. Set aside and let cool
  14. Preheat your oven to 180 °C or 355 °F
  15. Whisk the three eggs
  16. Add crème fraiche
  17. Add freshly grated Parmesan cheese and black pepper
  18. Cut or crumble the pancetta and add to the mushroom mixture
  19. Add the mushroom mixture to the egg mixture, combine
  20. Coat a 19 cm or 7.5-inch round baking tin with thin puff pastry
  21. Add the mixture and distribute evenly
  22. Transfer to the oven for 20-25 minutes or until nice and golden
  23. Allow to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes
  24. Remove from the tin as soon as possible
  25. If the bottom is not done, then transfer back to the oven (without the tin) for 10 minutes and set your oven to 160 °C or 320 °F, lower heat only
  26. Let cool and enjoy at 65 °C or 150 °F
PS

Skip the pancetta for a vegetarian version of this easy mushroom pie. Add extra thyme, oregano and Parmesan cheese.

Easy Mushroom Pie ©cadwu with thyme, oregano, nutty mushrooms and Parmesan cheese. The vegetarian version is as tasty as this one.
Easy Mushroom Pie ©cadwu

Bouchée a la Reine au Poisson

15 January 2026

Crispy, fluffy, flaky puff pastry and a rich, warm ragoût, what better way to turn leftovers into a tasty starter. Bouchée a la Reine: a classic in Belgium and France. Not modern at all, but such fun to serve (and eat). The Bouchée a la Reine goes back to the days of Queen Marie Leszcynska, wife of King Louis XV. The story is that she tried to win back the attention of her husband (who was more interested in Madame de Pompadour) with these delicious small pastries. She assumed they would work as an aphrodisiac. One of her chefs (Nicolas Stohrer, also founder of the oldest patisserie in Paris) is probably the creator of Bouchée a la Reine (and Baba au Rhum by the way).
Enough history: you could fill the pastry with fish, poultry, mushrooms, sweetbread, just about anything will go, as long as you use a rich roux as basis.
Our ragoût combines fish with (common) shrimps. We bought halibut, a fish with compact, firm meat and a delicate taste, one that goes very well with butter, herbs and lemon. 

Wine Pairing

It all depends on the filling of your Bouchée a la Reine. Could be a light red wine if you have some left over veal, if it’s sweetbread then a lightly oaked chardonnay is fine et cetera. In all cases keep in mind that the filling comes with a generous amount of butter. In this case we enjoyed a glass of Mâcon, produced by Thierry Drouin. The wine has aromas of green apples and citrus, with a touch of toast and some minerality. Great in combination with the rich ragoût and its flavours. Good value for money too!

What You Need
  • One small Shallot
  • 100 grams of firm, delicate Fish
  • 50 grams of small Shrimps
  • 15 grams of Butter
  • 10 grams of All Purpose Flour
  • Fish Stock
  • Chervil
  • White Pepper
  • 2 Bouchées
What You Do
  1. Dice the raw fish (bite size)
  2. Finely chop the shallot
  3. Chop the chervil
  4. Warm the fish stock
  5. Preheat your oven to 180 °C or 355 °F
  6. Gently heat butter in a skillet
  7. Add the shallot and glaze for 5 minutes or so
  8. Add the flour
  9. Softly fry the flour until you begin smelling that typical cookie aroma
  10. Start adding the warm stock, slowly at first, constantly whisking.
  11. When the ragoût is ready, transfer the bouchées to the oven and leave for 10 minutes
  12. After 5 minutes, add the fish and combine
  13. After a few minutes the fish will be cooked
  14. Remove the pan from the heat
  15. Add white pepper, shrimps and chervil
  16. Combine
  17. Transfer the bouchées to the plates
  18. Add ragoût, decorate with chervil and serve immediately
PS

Normally we make our own stock. In this case we bought fish fond produced by Jürgen Langbein. We added water (1:1) to get the right stock for the ragout.

Bouchée a la Reine au Poisson ©cadwu made with a béchamel, halibut, shrimps and chervil
Bouchée a la Reine au Poisson ©cadwu

Black Pearl

4 December 2025

Remember the Black Pearl, the ship captained by Jack Sparrow, portrayed by Jonny Depp? The ship had black sails and it was faster than the infamous Flying Dutchman. Films such as the Curse of the Black Pearl and At World’s End, characters such as Davy Jones and captain Barbossa, all good. We lost track when watching the third film and, in the end, we gave up on the series, despite the hilarious eccentricity of Jack Sparrow.

When shopping at our favourite mushroom stall, we noticed a cultivated mushroom, one we hadn’t seen before, called Black Pearl. 
The background of the Black Pearl mushroom (or Shimofuri) is as confusing as the story line of the Pirates-movies. According to some it’s a Japanese hybrid between King Trumpet and Black Oyster Mushrooms, others claim it’s a hybrid between a European and an Asian Oyster Mushroom and some say it’s a combination with Pearl Oyster mushrooms. Or perhaps a Marbled Oyster Mushroom? In all cases the Latin name seems to be Pleurotus Ostreatus, which is the name of the common oyster mushroom. 

Let’s forget about the background and enjoy its earthy, sweet, slightly peppery flavour and its firm texture. We combined the mushroom with an omelette, inspired by Tamagoyaki, the rolled Japanese omelette. We added Kashimiri pepper to the mushrooms, to emphasize their spiciness.

Drink Pairing

We enjoyed a glass of our favourite sake: Junmai Taru Sake as produced by Kiku-Masamune. The sake matured in barrels made of the finest Yoshino cedar, which is reflected in its aroma and flavour.
An aromatic, fresh and fruity white wine, with aromas of citrus and apple will also pair very well. The wine should be uplifting and juicy with a light character.

What You Need
  • 100 grams Black Pearl
  • 1 scallion, white only
  • 1/3 Kashmiri Pepper
  • 2 Eggs
  • ½ teaspoon Dashi Powder
  • teaspoon Mirin
  • teaspoon Soy Sauce
  • Olive Oil
What You Do
  1. Serve the omelette with the mushrooms on a warm plate
  2. Clean the mushrooms and cut in 2 or 4
  3. Thinly slice the white of the scallion
  4. Combine egg, dashi, mirin and soy sauce
  5. Warm a small heavy iron skillet
  6. Add some olive oil
  7. Add the egg mixture to the pan and bake a bavuese omelette
  8. In parallel: heat a small heavy iron skillet
  9. Crush pepper
  10. Add olive oil to the pan and fry the pepper, for a minute or so
  11. Reduce heat
  12. Add mushrooms to the pan
  13. Just before serving add the scallion
  14. Slice the omelette in two
Black Pearl Mushrooms served with an omelette. the omelette is flavored with dashi, soy suace and mirin. we also added crushed Kashmiri pepper ©cadwu
Black Pearl Mushrooms ©cadwu

Artichoke Pie

27 November 2025

A few weeks ago, we were shopping at the Albert Cuyp market in Amsterdam. We saw excellent, very large artichokes. We simply had to buy them. They were far too big to be served as a starter. What to do? Let’s make an artichoke pie! Other ingredients? Egg? Crème Fraîche? Parmesan Cheese? Pancetta? Herbs, of course, parsley, thyme or perhaps fresh oregano?

Wine Pairing

It’s not straightforward to pair artichokes with wine, due to cynarin, a chemical especially found in the leaves of the artichoke. When the wine and the cynarin meet in your mouth, the natural sweetness of the wine is enhanced, making it taste too sweet. Pair freshly cooked or steamed artichokes with a bone-dry, crisp, unoaked white wine with clear, present acidity. For instance Sauvignon Blanc, Grüner Veltliner or Albariño. 
Cynarin and wine are not a match made in heaven but the good news is that cynarin seems to protect your liver and even helps it regenerate.
We enjoyed a glass of white Rioja made by Vivanco. This is a bright, intense white wine with aromas of citrus fruit and green apples. Fresh, tasty and a great match with the Artichoke Pie.

What You Need
  • For the Dough
    • 100 grams of Flour
    • 50 grams of Water
    • 10 grams of Olive Oil
    • 1 gram of Salt
  • For the Filling
    • 2 large Artichokes
    • 1 shallot
    • Olive Oil
    • 1 Egg
    • Crème Fraîche
    • Fresh Thyme
    • Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
    • Black Pepper
What You Do
  1. Combine flour, salt, water and olive oil
  2. Make the dough, kneed for a minute or so and store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes
  3. Clean the artichokes
  4. Steam the artichokes for 45+ minutes depending on the size and let cool
  5. Chop the shallot
  6. Warm a heavy skillet, add olive oil and gently fry the shallot
  7. Transfer to a plate and let cool
  8. Use a spoon remove the ‘meat’ from the leaves (bracts) of the artichokes
  9. Remove the centre choke (the hairs)
  10. Chop the hearts
  11. Strip a generous amount of thyme
  12. Whisk the egg and combine with the artichoke, the shallot, the crème fraîche, the thyme and some freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  13. Add black pepper
  14. Taste and adjust
  15. Coat a 15 cm or 6 inch round baking form with oil (or use a sheet of baking paper)
  16. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface
  17. Place the dough in the baking form and add the filling
  18. Transfer to the oven for 40 minutes on 180˚ – 200˚ Celsius or 355˚ – 390˚ Fahrenheit
  19. Remove the pie from the oven
  20. Brush the outside with olive oil. This will intensify the colour of the pastry
  21. Let cool and enjoy luke warm
A delicious vegetarian Artichoke Pie ©cadwu with lots and lots of steamed artichoke, egg, creme fraiche and thyme.
Artichoke Pie ©cadwu

Horn of Plenty with Sole and a Lemon Sauce

13 November 2025

In 1989 Antonio Carluccio published A Passion for Mushrooms. The book describes various mushrooms, discusses their habitat and edibility and of course offers a range of mushroom recipes. A Passion for Mushrooms includes some wonderful recipes and combinations we didn’t expect, for instance Truite aux Pied Blues and Ragout de Crevettes Rose et de Morilles. The book also includes a chapter on conservation techniques.
Earlier we prepared two dishes from the book, Sandwiched Parasol Mushrooms and Halibut with Saffron Milk Cap.
A Passion for Mushrooms is a must have for mushroom-lovers. The book is available via the usual channels and perhaps at your local second-hand bookstore. Prices will vary.

Trompette de la Mort

Horn of Plenty is a black chanterelle, also known as Trompette de la Mort, Black Trumpet, or Trumpet of the Dead. A very tasty mushroom, with just one downside: removing all the sand, small leaves and unappetizing bits is a lot of work.
Carluccio poaches sole fillets and combines these with a combination of mushrooms, butter and lemon. Inspired by his recipe we prepared Horn of Plenty with Sole and a Lemon Sauce. 

Wine Pairing

We enjoyed a glass of white Rioja with our Trompette de la Mort. The wine is made by Vivanco with three Spanish grapes: Viura, Tempranillo Blanco (a grape discovered in 1988) and Maturana Blanca (a grape that goes back to 1622). The result is a bright, intense white wine with aromas of citrus fruit and green apples. Fresh, tasty and a great match with the flavours of the mushrooms, the sole and the acidity of the sauce.
In general, we suggest a non-oaked, fresh, dry white wine, with clear acidity. 

What You Need
  • For the Poached Sole
    • 4 fillets of Small Sole
    • 5 cm of Carrot
    • 5 cm of Celery Stalk
    • 1 Bay Leave
    • Crushed black pepper
  • For the Mushrooms
    • 100 grams horn of plenty
    • ¼ Red Bell Pepper
    • Olive Oil
    • Black Pepper
  • For the Sauce
    • 1 Egg Yolk
    • 20 ml Lemon Juice
    • 10 ml Water
    • 1 Teaspoon of Mirin
    • White Pepper
What You Do
  1. Clean the mushrooms
  2. Finely cube the red bell pepper
  3. Warm a pan of water until just simmering. It’s crucial not to overheat the water. The internal temperature of fish should be between 70 °C and 75 °C (or 160 °F and 165 °F).
  4. Add sliced carrot, sliced celery, bay leave and crushed black pepper
  5. Leave on this temperature for 10 minutes or so
  6. Heat a heavy iron skillet and add some olive oil
  7. Reduce heat and add cubed bell pepper
  8. Role up the fillet: skin side on the outside and start with the smaller part of the fillet
  9. Use a simple wooden cocktail stick to fix the role
  10. Poach the sole until done, depending on the size, 4 minutes
  11. Keep the sole warm in an oven at 65 °C or 150 °F
  12. Add the mushrooms to the pan with the bell pepper
  13. Fry gently
  14. Add some black pepper to taste
  15. Keep an eye on the mushrooms
  16. Combine egg yolk, lemon juice and mirin
  17. Make the sauce au bain marie or in the microwave
  18. Add some white pepper to the sauce
  19. Serve the sole on top of the mushrooms
  20. Add the lemon sauce
  21. Serve immediately on a warm plate
PS
  • The sauce is based on Japanese Kimizu. In this recipe we explain how to use a microwave.
  • You could also use grilled and peeled red bell pepper. That will give some smokiness to the dish, which is nice, but not necessary.
Trompette de la Mort with Sole and a Lemon Sauce, based on a recipe by Antonio Carluccio. The Sauce is basically a Kimizu with lemon juice. The sole is poached. The mushrooms fried with red bell pepper
Horn of Plenty ©cadwu

Beetroot Pie

6 November 2025

Let’s enjoy the last fresh beetroots of this season by making a pie with lots of beetroot, cheese and thyme. The pie combines sweetness with savoury and slightly tangy flavours. Best to prepare a day in advance, allowing for the flavours to integrate. We top the pie with Chioggia beetroot because of their beautiful colour and pattern.

Wine Pairing

Caruso e Minini Terre Siciliane Bibbo Zibibbo, doesn’t that sound like a wonderful wine? The wine is produced by the Sicilian company Caruso e Minini, which explains the first part of the name. How about Bibbo Zibibbo? The grape used to make this wine is the Muscat of Alexandria, known as Zibibbo in Sicily. The wine is aromatic with fruity notes (think apricot, hints of almond and orange blossom). You will taste a gentle, dry wine with flavours of dried fruit. The wine has a long and present finish.
In general, we suggest a light, dry white wine with floral and fruity notes. It must have some sweetness to balance the taste of the beetroots.

What You Need
  • For the Dough
    • 100 grams of All Purpose Flour
    • 50 grams of Water
    • 10 grams of Olive Oil
    • 1 gram of Salt
  • For the Filling
    • One Red Beetroot
    • One Chioggia Beetroot
    • Firm Goat Cheese
    • One Red Onion
    • Thyme
    • Black Pepper
What You Do
  1. Clean the beetroots and wrap seperatly in aluminium foil
  2. Transfer to the oven at 180 ˚C or 355 ˚F and cook for 45-60 minutes, depending on the size
  3. Let cool
  4. Combine flour, salt, water and olive oil and make the dough
  5. Kneed for a minute or so and store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes
  6. Slice and quarter the onion
  7. Fry the onion on low heat in olive oil until soft
  8. Peel and slice the beetroots
  9. Roll out the dough using a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface. Coat a 15 cm or 6 inch round baking form with oil
  10. Cover the form with the dough
  11. Build the pie, first a layer of red beetroot, followed by grated cheese, onion, lots of thyme and black pepper
  12. Repeat
  13. Top with gioggia beetroot
  14. Brush the top with olive oil
  15. Transfer to the oven for 40-50 minutes on 180-200 ˚C or 355-390 ˚F
  16. Immediately after having removed the pie from the oven, brush the top with olive oil. This will intensify the colour of the crust
  17. Let cool and enjoy the next day; warm is best (preferably 65 ˚C or 150 ˚F)
PS

We didn’t explain Bibbo as part of name Caruso e Minini Terre Siciliane Bibbo Zibibbo . We believe it’s the pet name of Zibibbo.

Beetroot Pie ©cadwu made with fresh beetroots, goat cheese and lots of thyme
Beetroot Pie ©cadwu

Saffron Milk Cap with Octopus and Tomatoes

30 October 2025

Saffron Milk Cap with Chorizo and roasted Bell Pepper is one of our favourites. More recently we followed a recipe by Antonio Carluccio for a combination with Halibut. Another great combination. They can also be combined with Squid, with gamba and with Potatoes and Eggplant.
Saffron Milk Caps (Rovelló de Botó) are very popular in Spain. The picture below shows fresh Saffron Milk Caps on the Mercado Central in Valencia. Thinking about Spain we came up with the idea of combining the mushroom with octopus.

Wine Pairing

We opened a bottle of Domaine Font-Mars Picpoul de Pinet. Picpoul de Pinet (Son terroir c’est la mer) is a white wine from the South of France between Narbonne and Montpellier. The terroir (think calcareous soil) is influenced by the sea, which is reflected in the mineral taste of the wine. The story is that Picpoul could be read as pique poul which translates into something like ‘stings the lip’; a nice reflection of the high acidity of the grapes. This acidity guarantees a refreshing white wine, which is exceptional given the warm climate. The wine is bright yellow with a very subtle touch of green. It’s aromatic, floral and fruity. The taste has notes of citrus and apple.
In general we suggest drinking a refreshing, unoaked white wine that goes well with seafood.

What You Need

  • For the Sauce
    • 4 Tomatoes
    • 1 Shallot
    • 1 Garlic Clove
    • Red Wine
    • Thyme
    • Olive Oil
  • 150 grams of Saffron Milk Cap
  • 200 grams of pre-cooked Octopus Tentacles
  • Parsley
  • Cayenne Pepper
  • Olive Oil

What You Do

  1. Peel, seed and dice the tomatoes.
  2. Don’t discard the skin and the seeds: use a strainer to get as much tomato juice as possible
  3. Chop the shallot
  4. Chop the garlic finely
  5. Heat a skillet, add olive oil and add the shallot.
  6. Fry for a few minutes
  7. Add garlic and tomatoes
  8. Reduce heat
  9. After a few minutes add the tomato juice, half a glass of red wine and thyme
  10. Leave to simmer on low heat for 2 hours or until the sauce is ready both in flavour and texture
  11. Cool and transfer to the refrigerator
  12. The next day clean the mushrooms and slice (not too thin)
  13. Chop the parsley
  14. Heat a skillet, add olive oil
  15. Add the sliced mushroom
  16. Fry for one minute
  17. Reduce heat
  18. In parallel grill the pre-cooked octopus tentacles (4-6 minutes)
  19. Add the tomato mixture to the pan with mushrooms and cook for a few minutes
  20. Taste and add cayenne pepper. You’re looking for a fairly sharp, spicy taste
  21. Add parsley to the mixture and combine
  22. Slice the octopus
  23. After a few minutes add octopus to the mixture without combining,
Saffron Milk Cap are combined with a rich tomato sauce and then grilld Octopus Tentacles are added ©cadwu
Fresh Saffron Milk Cap ©cadwu

Eggplant Omelette

2 October 2025

Having made Banana Ketchup, we were keen to explore what kind of food would combine well with it. Monch Weller wrote us: It’s often paired with fried food here in the Philippines – spring rolls (both meat and vegetable versions), fried chicken, and eggplant omelette.
The ketchup paired nicely with vegetarian rolls, but not as well as hot sweet and sour sauce.
We decided to make an eggplant omelette, known as Tortang Talong in the Philippines. The eggplant is grilled, peeled, flattened, dipped in an egg mixture and fried in oil. The outside crispy and brown, the inside soft and moist. Best to use the long and slender purple variety, for instance Chinese or Japanese eggplant.
Our eggplant was a standard eggplant, large and oblong. Very different in size and shape compared to the one used in the Philippines. We were not sure how we could turn our eggplant into Tortang Talong. Slice it? Fan it? Or mash it and add the eggplant to the egg mixture?

What You Need
  • 1 regular or Italian Eggplant
  • 2 Eggs
  • Small Garlic Clove
  • Black Pepper
  • (optional) Salt
  • Oil
What You Do
  1. Heat your oven to 230°C or 450°F
  2. Poke the eggplant with a fork. This allows for steam to escape
  3. Place the eggplant on lightly oiled aluminium foil
  4. Roast the eggplant for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size
  5. Let cool
  6. Peel of the skin
  7. Mash the eggplant, but not too much
  8. Combine eggs, salt (if using) and pepper
  9. Beat the mixture well
  10. Add the mashed eggplant. We used 2/3 of our eggplant. Combine
  11. Add grated garlic and mix again
  12. Add oil to a small skillet, set to medium heat
  13. Add the mixture and fry until brown
  14. Flip the omelette and fry the other side until brown
  15. Slice the omelette and serve immediately
  16. Serve with banana ketchup
PS

When we can buy a long slender eggplant, we will prepare the original Tortang Talong. To be continued!

Banana Ketchup was invited in the Philippines. It’s spicy, smooth and flavorful.
Eggplant Omelette ©cadwu combined with banana ketchup

Risotto with Peas

18 September 2025

Risotto is amongst our favourite dishes, especially one with mushrooms. Preparing risotto is not difficult, as long as you pay attention to the cooking process and use the right ingredients.
Recently a dear friend who lived in Italy for many years told us how to make Risotto with Peas. In the region where he lived (Liguria) this risotto is made without butter. We were not sure about not using butter, so we had it on standby. No need for that: the result was delicious. The rice was creamy thanks to the combination of the starchy cooking liquid and the Parmesan cheese. The peas were cooked to perfection and their taste nutty. The dish as a whole was light and energizing.

Wine Pairing

In general, a dry white wine will pair well with the Risotto with Peas. We enjoyed a glass of lightly oaked Chardonnay produced by Abbots & Delaunay. Aromas of apples and toast; the taste refreshing, long and a touch buttery. 

What You Need
  • 80 grams of Carnaroli or Arborio rice
  • 1 Shallot
  • Olive Oil
  • Fresh Peas
  • Stock (Chicken, Vegetable)
  • Parmesan Cheese
What You Do
  1. Peel and chop the shallot
  2. Shell the peas
  3. Warm the stock
  4. Add olive oil to the pan and glaze the shallot 
  5. Add the rice to the pan and coat for 2 minutes
  6. Keep the pan on medium heat. Be patient
  7. Start adding the stock, spoon by spoon and stir frequently
  8. After 10 minutes add the peas
  9. In total it may take 15 – 18 minutes before the rice is al dente
  10. Transfer the pan to the kitchen countertop and leave to rest for 2 minutes
  11. Add grated Parmesan cheese, combine, add some black pepper, taste, add more Parmesan cheese if so required
  12. Serve immediately
PS

We have three other risotto recipes: one with mushrooms, one with squid and one with beetroot.

Risotto with Peas is a tasty, uplifting dish. A delicious starter.
Risotto with Peas ©cadwu

Fried Prawns with Garlic and Samphire

24 July 2025

Shrimps and prawns are subtle, delicate and tasty. Popular food in many countries, just think shrimp cocktail, stuffed eggs with shrimps and of course, fried prawns with garlic and lemon.
For this recipe you need large, wild or organic prawns. We strongly suggest using ones that are not yet cleaned. It’s not difficult to clean shrimps and they taste much better than factory cleaned shrimps.
We serve the prawns with samphire. It’s a crunchy and salty vegetable that brings lots of colour and flavour to the plate. It can be eaten raw but it’s better to cook or steam it for a minute or two. The history of samphire goes back to the 14thcentury when the ashes of the marsh samphire (rich on sodium carbonate) were used to make glass. 

Wine Pairing

We enjoyed our Prawns with a glass of Picpoul de Pinet produced by Gérard Bertrand. A dry white wine, with a pale straw yellow color. It has aromas of citrus and gooseberries. The wine is full and round with minerality which is typical for a Picpoul de Pinet.
Recently we combined the prawns with a white wine made by Casa Relvas in Portugal. The wine is made with antão vaz and viognier grapes. Subtle aromas, gentle acidity and a nice finish.
You could also combine the prawns with a glass of Chablis, Verdejo or Soave.

What You Need
  • Six large Prawns
  • Garlic
  • Olive Oil
  • Black Pepper
  • 50 grams of Samphire
  • Crusted Bread
  • Lemon (optional)
What You Do
  1. Use scissors to cut the shell of the prawn. Start behind the head and cut towards the tail. Just before the tail turn 90 degrees and make a cut around the prawn
  2. Remove the head, the shell and the legs of the body. Keep the tail on the prawn.
  3. Remove the black vein (the prawn’s intestines) and the slurry (if any)
  4. Wipe clean with kitchen paper
  5. Transfer the prawns to the refrigerator
  6. Wash the samphire
  7. Coarsely slice the garlic
  8. Heat a pan with water
  9. Dry the prawns and fry them in a skillet in olive oil (depending on the size maximum 4 minutes in total) on both sides and on the back.
  10. When the prawns begin to colour, add the garlic and reduce the heat
  11. Coat the prawns with the oil and the garlic in the pan
  12. Cook the samphire for one minute maximum (or steam for two minutes)
  13. Drain the samphire
  14. Serve on warm plates with some black pepper and lemon (if using)
  15. Enjoy with crusted bread
Fried prawns with Garlic and Samphire ©cadwu
Fried prawns with Garlic and Samphire ©cadwu