French Tiger Prawns Thermidor - Chrysl

 Recipe by Chrsyl Castelino





















Ingredients:
6-7 jumbo tiger prawns
1 small onion (chopped)
4-5 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 tbsp maida/all purpose flour
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
4 tbsp salted butter
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp Tabasco sauce
1 cup milk
1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
salt to taste

To garnish:

lime wedges
parsley

Steps:
  1. Wash the prawns well. Refer to videos 1& 2 below on how to prepare the prawns.
  2. De-vein and chop the prawn meat into bite sized chunks.
  3. Wash the prawn shells well and blanche them in boiling water till they turn orange. Drain and set aside.

  4. Heat 2 tbsp butter in a pan and lightly sear the prawn meat. Set aside.
  5. In the same pan heat the rest of the butter and add the garlic. Fry for 2-3 minutes.
  6. Add in the onions and fry till translucent.
  7. Reduce the flame and add the apple cider vinegar and Tabasco sauce. 
  8. Stir in the maida and mix well to make sure there are no lumps.
  9. Pour in the milk and mix well. Now increase the flame and bring to a boil.
  10. When the sauce starts to thicken, reduce the flame and stir in the grated cheddar cheese.
  11. Now add the prawn meat and season with salt and pepper.
  12. Add the chopped parsley and mix.
  13. Turn off the flame and let it cool for 10-15 minutes.
  14. Arrange the blanched shells in a baking tray and fill them with the prawn meat mixture.
  15. Top them with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.
  16. Grill / broil them in an oven for 10-15 minutes.
  17. Garnish with some parsley and serve with toasted bread. 
  18. ENJOY!

 Video 1:

                                Video 2:







Notes:
  • Thermidor is a rich & luxurious French dish that is usually made using lobsters. The lobster meat is cooked in a creamy white sauce, stuffed back into the shells, topped with parmesan cheese and broiled till golden.
  • I have used some beautiful jumbo tiger prawns for this recipe. You could even make this using cray fish or large size prawns. If using prawns, cook the prawns in the white sauce, transfer to a baking tray, top with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese and broil. Serve with warm toasted bread.