King Prawn Bean Stew with Garlic Basmati

Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 4)

• 400 grs basmati rice
  
• 3 cans (400grs each) borlotti or butter beans
  
• 350 grs skinless king prawns (uncooked)
• 50 grs of chourizo thinly sliced
  
• 1 carrot minced
  
• 1 onion minced
  
• 3 garlic cloves minced
  
• 150 mls tomato pulp (or passata)
  
• 1 pinch of cayenne
  
• 1 soup spoon of paprika
  
• 1 bunch of coriander finely chopped
  
• 2 large bayleafs
  
• a little olive oil, salt and black pepper (to taste)
  

One of the tastier things I have ever eaten in the restaurant MetrisPlanet in Faro Portugal. I loved it so much that I had to recreate it, also must confess that I went back and back to that restaurant to eat that meal over and over again during my holidays. Of course they didn't give me the recipe so I had to create my own version based on taste and look s alone, and if I may say turned out quite excellent.

I used butter beans which were nice however whenever I will do this again I will use either borlotti or white beans, as the butter beans were a little floury in texture and I prefer a smother texture almost creamy. At Metris Planet restaurant a portion for two was €16 which means only €8 per person, which is a great price, but think the portion given in quantity was really enough for over 4 people excellent value, if ever in Portugal in the Algarve I would recommend you to visit this restaurant.

Well... To make this dish, place a wok pan on the heat and add to it a little olive oil once well hot ad to it: garlic, onion, carrot, bay-leafs, chourizo, cayenne pepper and the paprika. Let these cook up until the onion starts to caramelize, which then you add the: drained beans and tomato pulp, and once is back to boiling put the lid on reduce heat to minimum and let it simmer for around 40 minutes, mixing occasionally so that it doesn't stick to the bottom. Twenty minutes into the cooking add the salt and black pepper.

Lastly ad the prawns and the chopped coriander (reserving a little coriander for the decoration of the dish), cooking these for 3-4 minutes the prawn will change from a greyish colour to the nice orange colour when cooked, must not overcook them as instead of soft they will turn hard and rubbery.

As to the rice cook this one in water and salt with a little of oil and a couple of crushed garlic cloves for the garlic flavour cook it for 10-12 minutes (check pack for cooking times). Once fully cooked I drained the rice and while draining passed boiling water through it to remove excess starch as this is no good for your health.

Then is just a matter of dishing it and eating it....Bon Appetite xxxxxxx