Pan-Seared Prawns
By Joe
Source: America's Test Kitchen.
Large prawns seared in two quick batches in a very hot pan, with a pinch of sugar to help them brown before they can toughen, then finished together off the heat under a lid. Spotty-brown outside, plump and juicy inside, in under 10 minutes.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Season. Pat the prawns dry and toss them in the bowl with the salt, pepper and sugar. The sugar is barely noticeable as sweetness, but it caramelises fast and gives a golden crust in the short time the prawns spend in the pan.
- 2
Sear the first batch. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in the frying pan over high heat until just smoking. Add half the prawns in a single layer and cook without moving for about 1 min, until spotty brown and pink at the edges. Crowding the pan would drop the heat and make them stew instead of sear.
- 3
Turn off the heat. Take the pan off the heat and quickly turn each prawn with tongs. Leave them for about 30 sec, until all but the very centre is opaque, then tip them onto the plate. They finish cooking later, so they stay tender.
- 4
Sear the second batch. Wipe the pan if needed, add the remaining oil and repeat with the rest of the prawns: about 1 min over high heat, then off the heat, flip and leave 30 sec.
- 5
Finish together. Return the first batch to the pan with any juices and toss. Cover and leave off the heat for 1-2 min, until every prawn is opaque all the way through, curled into a loose C and reads 63 °C. Serve straight away.
Storage
Best eaten straight away. Refrigerate covered up to 2 days; eat cold or reheat briefly in a pan until piping hot (74 °C). Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Why this label?
23.2 g protein for 181 kcal = 12.8 g per 100 kcal, so protein gives about 51% of the energy. High protein needs at least 20% (5 g per 100 kcal), the condition in the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
EU nutrition claims
- Low saturated fat: 0.6 g saturated fat per 100 g, 4.5% of energy (limits ≤ 1.5 g and ≤ 10%)
- Sugar-free: 0.1 g sugars per 100 g (limit ≤ 0.5 g)
Per 100 g of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 149 g a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
0.1 g per serving
0.2 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 0.4 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- 30 cm frying pan with lid
- bowl
- tongs
- large plate
- kitchen paper
Nutrition per serving Calculated from USDA FoodData Central
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 181 kcal |
| Protein | 23.2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 1.8 g |
| of which sugars | 0.1 g |
| of which free sugars | 0.1 g |
| Fat | 8.5 g |
| of which saturates | 0.9 g |
| Fibre | 0 g |
| Salt | 2.77 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
12.8 g meets High protein (≥ 5 g per 100 kcal = 20% of energy, and ≥ 10 g per serving)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
