Rick Stein

Giorgio Locatelli's Warm Prawns With Fresh Borlotti Beans

Prep Time: 20-30 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes

Serves 4

Bouquet garni:
A few sage leaves, a bay leaf, and a sprig of parsley, wrapped inside a celery stalk, cut in half, and tied around the herbs

10 oz cooked fresh borlotti beans (cranberry beans) (podded weight)
Whole garlic bulb
12 large raw prawns
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large red chili, finely sliced
A good dash of white wine
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

To Cook the Borlotti Beans:
Make a fresh bouquet garni with herbs wrapped in celery and tied with string. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and, once boiling, add a pinch of salt. Add the beans, bouquet garni and garlic and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the beans are soft to the bite. Drain, remove the bouquet garni and garlic and set aside.

To Cook the Prawns:
Slice the prawns almost all the way through, lengthwise and open them out. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pan, add the chopped garlic, chili, and cook for 30 seconds. Add the prawns and sauté for 2 minutes until cooked through. Add the wine and ignite. When the flames die down, remove the prawns from the pan and set aside in a warm place.

To Finish the Cooking:
Add the cooked borlotti beans to the pan and heat through. Return the prawns to the pan and toss everything together.

And Finally:
Divide between 4 plates, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with freshly ground black pepper.

Can't Buy Fresh Borlotti Beans?
Use two 4 ½ oz cans, drained, ignoring the first stage of the recipe.