Langoustines and prawns flambéed with anise liqueur and served with fennel and orange zest sauce.
Recipe Intro
Some years ago, while attending a private gathering in Monte Carlo, I came across a delicious seafood dish created by a local chef. It was a mix of lobster, king prawns, langoustines, and prawns, served cold with a rich, flavourful sauce.
They are just as delicious when served warm, making it a simple yet impressive dish for entertaining. You can prepare this dish with one type of crustacean or go for a mix like king prawns and langoustines.
Essential Ingredients
- crustaceans – Use langoustines or a mix of langoustines and king prawns. If you want to add small prawns, buy them shelled to save time and effort.
- garlic – Use fresh.
- shallots – They have a milder, sweeter flavour, which complements the delicate taste of seafood without overpowering it.
- butter – Use unsalted butter to allow better control over salt.
- white wine – Use a dry white wine of your choice.
- anise-flavoured liqueur – This dish is traditionally made with an anise-flavoured liqueur such as French Pernod or Italian Sambuca. However, any liqueur with a strong anise flavour will work. If you’re not a fan of anise, opt for cognac instead for a rich and balanced flavour.
- fennel – Use ground fennel.
- orange zest – Use organic oranges if possible, or wash them well before zesting to remove any residues and impurities.
- herbs – Fresh parsley and dill.
- tomato concentrate
- double cream
- lemon
🐟 🌍While you are here, explore these delicious seafood recipes from around the world:
Mediterranean stuffed squid in tomato sauce ☀️🦑🍅
Mussels Provencal in tomato sauce 🦪🍅
Luxury seafood pie Monte Carlo-style 🥂🍽️
How to Make Flambéed Langoustines and Prawns with Sauce
- Rinse the king prawns and langoustines thoroughly, then separate the heads from the tails.
- Add 250ml of white wine per 1 litre of water to a pot and bring to a boil. Season with a pinch of salt and cook for about 10 minutes.
- Cut the tails in half lengthways and press them firmly to flatten them. It’s fine if the shell cracks during this process.
- In a frying pan, heat half of the butter and add finely chopped shallots, minced garlic, and half the parsley and fry for 5 minutes.
- Place the prawns’ tails in the pan, cut side down, to allow them to sear. Sauté for about 2 minutes. Then flip them over and cook for a minute.
📝 You can prepare this dish without the shells if you want, making it quicker and easier to eat. Removing the shells simplifies preparation and is ideal for those who do not want to deal with them.
How to Flambé Langoustines and Prawns
- Pour liqueur or brandy over the prawns and light them using a long-handled lighter. During the lighting process, do not stir while the flames are active. Let the flames burn out on their own.
- Remove the tails from the pan and set them aside. Cover with foil to keep them warm.
⚠️ Important flambé safety tips:
– Do not flambé on the stove or under the kitchen extractor hood.
– Avoid leaning too close to the pan while doing this. Use a pan with a long handle to maintain a safe distance.
– Be prepared for the blaze, flames that may appear small can quickly become large.
– If the situation gets out of hand, have a large metal lid ready to cover the pan and safely extinguish the flames.
The Sauce
- Add the fennel, the broth from the heads you cooked earlier, wine, tomato concentrate, salt, pepper, dill and orange zest to the same pan used for flambéing the prawns. Simmer over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, until the mixture reduces by half to create a concentrated sauce.
- When the sauce is ready, add a few drops of lemon juice, the other half of butter, finely chopped parsley, and cream. If you’re using anise-flavoured liqueur, add a few more drops at this stage.
- Place the tails in a slightly deeper dish and pour the sauce over. Add a little extra fresh parsley and a pinch of black pepper.
I forgot to buy cream, so I made it without, and it still turned out great. However, if you want a richer, creamier sauce, don’t skip this step, add the cream as instructed.
Tip: If there’s any extra sauce left, save it for other seafood dishes. It freezes well. It’s perfect drizzled over toasted bread.
Serving Flambéed Langoustines and Prawns with Sauce
Serve as a starter with a simple salad or a light dinner with potatoes and greens.
Recipe Card
Drunk langoustines and prawns in aromatic sauce Monte Carlo-style
Ingredients
- 4 langoustines
- 6 king prawns
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 shallots
- 2 tbsp parsley
- 50 g unsalted butter
THE SAUCE
- 150 ml white wine
- 150 ml seafood broth - cooking liquid from the prawn heads
- 100 ml anise-flavoured liqueur - such as Sambuca, Pernod, or similar
- 1 tsp orange zest
- ½ tsp ground fennel
- 1 tsp concentrated tomato purée
- 1/2 dill
- 1 tbsp cream
- salt, black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Broth: Rinse the king prawns and langoustines thoroughly, then separate the heads from the tails. Add 250ml of white wine per 1 litre of water to a pot, season with a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Cook for about 10 minutes.
- Cut the tails in half lengthways and press them firmly to flatten them. It’s fine if the shell cracks during this process.
- In a frying pan, heat half the butter and add finely chopped shallots, minced garlic, and half the parsley. Fry for 4-5minutes. Place the tails cut side down in the pan and sear for about 2 minutes. Flip and cook for another minute.
- Flambé the Tails: Pour anise-flavoured liqueur or brandy over the langoustines and prawns and light them with a long-handled lighter. Do not stir while the flames are active. Let the flames burn out on their own. Remove the tails from the pan and set them aside. Cover with foil to keep warm.
- The Sauce: Add the fennel, the broth from the heads, wine, tomato concentrate, salt, pepper, dill and orange zest to the same pan used for flambéing the prawns. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by half to create a concentrated sauce, 10-12 minutes.When the sauce is ready, add a few drops of lemon juice, half of the butter, finely chopped parsley, and cream. If you’re using anise-flavoured liqueur, add a few more drops now and stir well.
- Place the tails in a slightly deeper dish and pour the sauce over. Add a little extra fresh parsley and a pinch of black pepper.