Butterflied Prawns in Chocolate

Submitted by: JustRightMenus

Description:

I've seen this recipe described as a "culinary adventure." Doesn't that sound fun?

Servings: 4

Categories: appetizer, fancy dinner night, shrimp

From the kitchen of:

Mediterranean: 500 Best-Ever Recipes, page 29.

Ingredients

8 large raw prawns (shrimp), in the shell

1 TB seasoned flour

1 TB pale dry sherry

juice of 1 large orange

1/2 oz dark bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 TB olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1" piece fresh root ginger, finely chopped

1 small dried chili, seeded and chopped (I vote this is optional)

salt and ground black pepper

Directions

Peel the prawns, leaving just the tail sections intact. Make a shallow cut down the back of each one and carefully pull out and discard the dark intestinal tract. (This process is called de-veining ... but that's not a vein, boys and girls. Ick.)

Turn the shrimp over so that the undersides are uppermost (the side that had the legs), and then carefully slit them open from tail to top, using a small sharp knife, cutting them almost, but not quite, through to the central back line.

Press the prawns down firmly to flatten them out. Coat with the seasoned flour and set aside.

Gently heat the sherry and orange juice in a small pan. When warm, remove from the heat and stir in the chopped chocolate until melted.

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the garlic, ginger, and chili; cook for 2 minutes until golden. Remove spices with a slotten spoon and reserve. Add the shrimp, cut side down and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown with pink edges. Turn the prawns and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Return the garlic mixture to the pan and pour the chocolate sauce over. Cook for 1 minute, turning the prawns to coat them in the glossy sauce.

Season to taste and serve hot.