Category:
Fish features
Date:
July 6, 2021
TASTE / TEXTURE PROFILE
Spot prawns are excellent both raw and cooked and are much sweeter and buttery than your typical crunchy tiger prawns.
HEALTH BENEFITS
Spot prawns are high in amino acids, selenium, iodine, omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, as well as astaxanthin antioxidants.
PREFERRED COOKING METHODS
Raw, sashimi-style.
Cooked spot prawns can be boiled, seared, steamed or tossed on the BBQ. That said it is very important to note that spot prawns cook quickly and can easily be overcooked. Cooking times vary greatly on the size of the prawns so it’s hard to give exact cooking times, be careful if following a pre-made prawn recipe.
Also important to note, because spot prawns are far more delicate it is better to cook with them in the shell on as opposed to peeling them.
If boiling typically you can toss your spot prawns in boiling salted water and pull them out as soon as they start to float. Usually 1 min for medium size spot pawn tails. Medium size is about 24 tails per pound.
If pan searing or barbecuing, it’s usually about 2 minutes total cooking time
Spot prawns pair beautifully with lemon, shallots, dry white wine, and garlic.
FISHERMONGER TIPS
When purchasing spot prawns there are several things to note. First and foremost they are highly sought after both locally and overseas. This makes them very expensive when compared to other farmed prawns. Keep this in mind, you will want an amazing experience because of the price so follow these tips.
First off, spot prawns can be purchased as tails or with the head on. The head is exactly 50% of the prawn. This means if you buy a head on prawn for let’s say $15/lb this would be a $30/lb tail. When shopping this is key to making sure you’re comparing apples to apples in terms of price.
Spot prawns are caught locally in Howe Sound and if you have the ability, you can stroll down to the dock for the month that they are being fished and grab some off your local fisherman to enjoy the experience! If you do not have this option and live out of the Vancouver area, then buyer beware of Live/Fresh spot prawns. They do not travel well and if they are not impeccably handled they can very often be mushy and the quality deteriorates quickly. You will not know until you cook them and this can be a very expensive ruined meal. It is best to buy frozen tails. They typically come in 1lb tubs frozen in seawater. This is the way to go! Yes, in this case, frozen is better than fresh.
To thaw these 1lb tubs it is best to take off the lid and run under cold water until thawed. This is preferred to leaving them in the fridge overnight to thaw.
Lastly, cook your spot prawns with the shell on! Trust us, it is just better in every way. If you want easier access to the meat and not have to struggle peeling them after you have cooked them, then grab some scissors and cut the shell down the back of the prawn from the top to the tail. This will make it easier to peel after it cooks and it will protect your delicate spot prawns while cooking.
Spot prawns are a local delicacy and one of the best prawns in the world if cooked properly. We fish them for a living and so much effort goes into catching these little buggers. We want you to enjoy them so make sure to follow these tips and enjoy!