Baked prawns with tomatoes and feta

 

 

INGREDIENTS

 

• 24 large prawns

• 4 tbsp olive oil

• 7 oz shallots, finely sliced

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed

• 3 tbsp fresh thyme leaves or ½ tbsp dried thyme

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 cinnamon stick or ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 ¾ lb ripe tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and chopped

• salt and pepper

• 9 oz feta cheese, crumbled

• 1 bunch of spring onions, finely shredded

• ½ tsp aniseed

• 2 tsp cold-pressed flaxseed

• oil (optional)

 

 

METHOD

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash the prawn and pat dry.

 

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a sauté pan over low heat, add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Add 1 crushed garlic clove, together with two-thirds of the thyme, the bay leaves and cinnamon. Add the tomatoes, stir briefly , then cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes, to allow the flavours to blend.  Season to taste.

 

Transfer the tomato sauce to a large, shallow ovenproof dish. Sprinkle over the crumbled feta cheese and place in the oven for about 5 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan. Add the spring onions, the remaining garlic and thyme, and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the prawns and aniseed and cook, turning frequently, for a couple of minutes. As soon as the prawns are opaque, add them to the dish with the tomatoes and feta and cook in the oven for a further 10 minutes so the flavors can develop fully.

 

Drizzle the remaining tbsp of olive oil over the top, together with the flaxseed oil, if using. Leave to cool slightly before serving.