Date Night Prawn Linguine by Jack Munn

Ingredients

• 250g Raw large prawns, shelled and deveined (keep shells)
• 2 Shallots, finely diced
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup Fresh parsley, stems separated from leaves, chopped
• 2 tbsp Tomato paste
• 1/2 cup Dry white wine
• 3-4 cups Water
• 1 Red chili, finely sliced (optional, or to taste)
• 1 pint (approx. 200g) Cherry tomatoes, halved
• 200g Linguine
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• to taste Salt
• to taste Black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

1. Prepare the prawn shells for stock: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the reserved prawn shells and fry for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until they turn pink and start to smell fragrant.
2. Build the stock base: Add one diced shallot, half of the minced garlic, and the parsley stalks to the pan with the shells. Cook for another 3-5 minutes until the shallots soften.
3. Add tomato paste and white wine: Stir in 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen its flavor. Pour in the white wine and deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes until the alcohol smell dissipates.
4. Simmer the prawn stock: Pour in the water, bringing the liquid just above the level of the shells. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for at least 1 hour to extract maximum flavor.
5. Strain and reduce the stock: After simmering, strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing firmly on the shells to extract all liquid. Discard the solids. Bring the strained stock to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently until it reduces by about one-third, concentrating the flavor. This should yield about 2 cups of concentrated stock.
6. Cook the prawns: While the stock is reducing, pat the shelled and deveined prawns dry. Season them lightly with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the prawns in a single layer and cook for 1-2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove the prawns from the pan and set aside.
7. Sauté aromatics for the sauce: In the same skillet (do not clean it), add the remaining diced shallot, minced garlic, and sliced chili (if using). Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until the shallots are softened and translucent.
8. Create the tomato base: Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the halved cherry tomatoes to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they blister and start to collapse, releasing their juices.
9. Combine with stock and pasta: Ladle about 1.5 to 2 cups of the reduced prawn stock into the skillet. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Add the linguine to the actively simmering sauce. Cook the linguine directly in the sauce, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes until it is seriously al dente and has absorbed much of the liquid, thickening the sauce.
10. Finish and serve: Once the pasta is cooked al dente and the sauce is thick and clinging to the pasta, return the cooked prawns to the skillet and gently toss for 1-2 minutes to warm through. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, garnished with the chopped fresh parsley and a side of crusty bread if desired.