Gamberi alla Catalana (Catalan Prawns)

This recipe does not originate in Catalonia as the name would suggest. Instead, it was invented by Sardinian restauranteur Giuliano Ardu in his Trattoria del Pescatore restaurant in Milan in the 1970s.  His reasons for naming it after a region in Spain are unknown, but there are many variations of this delicious dish which can be enjoyed in  any of Milan’s high quality seafood restaurants.

Pickling the shallot slices in white wine vinegar remove any acrid bitterness, and complements the sweetness of the tomatoes and the prawns. As is so often the case with seafood salads in Italy, the dressing is a simple emulsification of high quality extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice, with salt and pepper to taste.

It is served as a seafood antipasto, usually together with  other delights such as octopus and potato salad.  It is quite a straightforward dish to make, and if you can’t find raw prawns, good quality cooked prawns are a very acceptable alternative.  

I like to serve this as the first course of a  luxury seafood dinner, followed by a main course such as whole roast sea bass or Snapper in Acquapazza.

Preparation time:  30  minutes            
Cooking time:  5 minutes    
Serves  4 (as part of mixed antipasto course)

Ingredients 
12 raw medium sized prawns (about 300 grams)
600 grams cherry tomatoes
1 small shallot
200 ml white wine vinegar
1 small carrot
1 small rib of celery
1 small lemon wedge
100 ml extra virgin olive oil
50 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Method           
Peel and finely slice the shallot, then soak in the vinegar for 4-5 hours
When the shallots have finished pickling, whisk  the olive oil, lemon juice and salt to taste   to make your dressing
Remove the heads and peel the prawns, then remove the dorsal vein
Add the celery, carrot, wedge of lemon to 300 ml of water and bring to the boil
Add the prawns and cook for 1-2 minutes until they are pink and firm
Drain the prawns and pat dry 
Remove the shallot slices from the vinegar and pat dry (See Top Tip below)
Slice the tomatoes in half and add the shallot slices
Add prawns and pour over the dressing 
Serve with potato and octopus salad, fried zucchine flowers and a crisp white wine such as a Pouilly-Fumé or a Carricante

Top Tip: Keep the pickling vinegar in a sealed jar in the fridge to use either when making beurre blanc sauce or to give an interesting background flavour of onion to salad dressings.

Serving suggestion for the main course: wild caught sea bass with potatoes, rosemary and garlic