Crevettes au Pernod

One of the nicest ways to cook prawns is with shallots, garlic, a good knob of butter and a shot of Pernod. Once done, I sprinkle them with plenty of freshly chopped parsley and dill, and serve them with thin slices of lemon, grilled tomatoes and good bread. You could, however, serve them over a bowl of cooked linguine. Prawns are very versatile and can handle a wide variety of seasonings. Just make sure you don’t overcook them.

Serves 2-3

• 2 tbsps mild olive oil
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
• 1 ½ tbsps Pernod
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 3 tbsps dry white wine
• large knob of butter
• 500g large, fresh prawns , cleaned but with the tails still on
• 1 unwaxed lemon, ½ sliced, the rest squeezed
• fleur de sel and freshly-cracked pepper
• fresh chopped parsley
• fresh chopped dill

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and gently sauté the shallots and the garlic. Add the Pernod and let this cook for about three minutes over a low-medium heat. Add the fennel seeds and the wine and continue cooking for a further two minutes. Now stir in the butter until everything becomes nice and creamy. Turn up the heat a bit and add in your prawns, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for approximately two minutes, stirring continuously. Add the chopped herbs and serve with the sliced lemon.