Karides Recipe

Prepare prawns

Pat the prawns dry with paper towels. Season lightly with 1/2 tsp of the salt and 1/4 tsp of the black pepper.

Sweat aromatics

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter. When butter foams, add the chopped shallot and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened and translucent but not browned. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Deglaze with wine

Increase heat to medium-high, pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by about half — roughly 3–4 minutes — to concentrate flavor and cook off most alcohol.

Build the tomato sauce

Stir in the cherry tomatoes (or canned tomatoes) and tomato paste. Reduce heat to medium and simmer the mixture for 4–5 minutes until the tomatoes break down slightly and the sauce thickens. Taste and add the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and remaining black pepper as needed.

Cook the prawns

Push the sauce to one side and add the seasoned prawns in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for 1.5–2 minutes until the underside turns pink and opaque. Flip the prawns and cook another 1–2 minutes until just cooked through (prawns should curl and be opaque throughout). If your pan is crowded, cook in two batches to avoid steaming.

Finish sauce

Stir the prawns into the sauce. Add the lemon juice and chopped parsley and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper or lemon if desired.

Serve

Remove from heat. Transfer prawns and sauce to a serving dish. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and crusty bread or over pasta/rice to soak up the sauce.

You can prepare the tomato-wine base up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate. Reheat gently, then add and cook the prawns just before serving. Leftovers keep in an airtight container for 1–2 days; reheat gently to avoid overcooking prawns.