King Prawns Sugo Recipe

Prepare aromatics

Heat a medium skillet or shallow sauté pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil. When shimmering, add the diced yellow onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5–6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Deglaze and build sauce

If using, pour in the white wine and scrape any browned bits from the pan. Let the wine reduce by half, about 1–2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to deepen flavor.

Simmer

Add the crushed tomatoes and stock, stir to combine. Add the rocoto paste (start with 1 tsp and adjust to heat preference), sugar, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 10–12 minutes to thicken slightly and blend flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning — if the sauce tastes too acidic, add a little more sugar; if you want more heat, add a touch more rocoto.

Finish with basil

Remove from heat and stir in the torn basil leaves. Keep the sugo warm while you cook the prawns.

Prep prawns

Pat the king prawns dry with paper towels. Season lightly with salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Zest the lemon and set zest aside; halve the lemon and reserve juice.

Cook prawns

In a separate large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter until foaming. Add the prawns in a single layer (work in two batches if necessary). Cook undisturbed 1.5–2 minutes until the underside turns pink and develops a light sear. Flip and cook another 1–1.5 minutes until just cooked through (prawns should be opaque and slightly firm). Remove prawns from the pan and keep warm.

Combine prawns with sugo

Return the warm sugo pan to low heat. Add the cooked prawns to the sugo and gently toss to coat, warming together for 1 minute. Add lemon juice to brighten (about 1 tablespoon, or to taste) and half the lemon zest. Stir in any pan juices and adjust seasoning if needed.

Finish and serve

Stir the remaining teaspoon of butter into the sauce for a glossy finish (optional). Plate the prawns and sugo in a shallow bowl or on crostini: spoon sauce first, arrange prawns on top, garnish with remaining basil leaves and the rest of the lemon zest. Serve immediately with crusty bread to soak up the sugo.