Linguine with Black Garlic Prawns and Cherry Tomato Sauce
Serves 4
400g good quality dried linguine
400g of fresh (or frozen and thawed) raw king prawns – no shell
1 packet of fresh young spinach leaves (optional), washed and dried
Half a portion of Black Garlic Herb Butter
Full portion of Cherry Tomato and Black Garlic Sauce
For the Black Garlic Herb Butter
100 g unsalted butter, softened
3 cloves of black garlic, peeled and pounded
10 gr or 1 mixed tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley, tarragon and coriander
zest of half a lemon
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Blend together using a food processor, a small blender or by hand.
For the Cherry Tomato and Black Garlic Sauce
4 tbsp olive oil
200 g cherry tomatoes, washed and halved or quartered if large ones
1 large shallot or a small onion, finely chopped
12 large basil leaves
3 to 4 black garlic cloves, chopped
50-100 ml water
100 ml whipping or double cream
salt and pepper
Heat oil and add all ingredients except for water and cream.
Cook gently for a few minutes before adding the water to almost cover the tomatoes – no more than 100 ml should be needed.
Continue to cook gently to soften the tomatoes and infuse the flavours – about 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and blend – sieving will remove all the tomato skins but if you don’t mind the texture, just leave it.
Add the cream and heat through.
Check seasoning and put to one side.
Put a large pan of water on for the pasta. Salt it once boiling and add the pasta, stirring it round to begin with.
Cook as per the timings on the packet until “al dente”.
In the meantime, heat up the Cherry Tomato Sauce gently and heat a frying pan for the prawns.
Dry the prawns on a paper towel and then add the Black Garlic Butter to the pan (you may have to do this in two batches depending on the size of your frying pan) and fry the prawns for two or three minutes . They will change colour almost immediately.
Once you are sure they are cooked through put them to one side to keep warm – but don’t overcook or they will become tough.
Drain the pasta (don’t make it too dry though), put back in the pan and add the spinach (if using), which will cook in the heat of the pasta as you turn it.
Add the Cherry Tomato Sauce.
Serve into bowls arranging the prawns on top.
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