Prawn & Lime Linguine
with courgette & pistachios
This recipe is heavily influenced by a dish I ate in Puglia recently, and it got my thinking about how lemon is often the default in pasta dishes - why not lime?! It’s such a great combo with fresh seafood. The courgettes add a little sweetness and the pistachios add a little nuttiness. Simple, easy, delicious.
Tips & Tricks:
Prawns: Add them near the end and cook gently so they stay juicy rather than rubbery. I like to butterfly them a little (by running a knife down the back of each one) so allow them to open whilst they cook, but you can skip this step if you can’t be bothered.
Pasta Water: Don’t skip this. The starch helps the butter, oil and lime come together into a glossy sauce. Make sure it’s well seasoned before the past goes in, otherwise you’re sauce will be weak and watery.
Ingredients.
Approx. 180-200g linguine
200g raw king prawns
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
15g butter
2 baby courgettes, or 1 medium courgette
3 tbsp shelled pistachios
1 garlic clove
1–2 limes
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Equipment.
Large saucepan (for pasta)
Sharp knife & chopping board
Frying/sauté pan
Method.
Preheat the frying/sauté pan over a medium heat, and bring a separate large saucepan of water to the boil
Slice the courgettes into thin rounds. If using a larger courgette, cut it lengthways first, before slicing into thin semi-circles
Add olive oil to the sauté pan, then add the courgettes with a pinch of salt and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden.
Meanwhile, season the boiling water generously and add the linguine. Cook until just shy of al dente (about 2 minutes less than the packets suggests)
Roughly crush the pistachios, finely chop the garlic, and carefully butterfly the prawns (run a knife along the back of each one, from head to tail, to pierce the skin and allow it to open when cooking)
Turn the heat down on the courgettes, then add the butter, pistachios, garlic and the zest of 1 lime. Cook gently for 1–2 minutes, stirring regularly, until fragrant.
Add the prawns and continue cooking on low for a few minutes.
Finally, add the nearly cooked linguine to the pan with a generous ladleful of pasta water and the juice of 1 lime. Simmer for a couple of minutes to finish cooking everything and allow the sauce to become silky and smooth. Add a little extra pasta water or butter if needed.
Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more lime juice or salt if needed. The lime flavour should be clear and prominent. Serve straight away.
