Prawn and Shrimp

Known as crevette (France), gamberetto or gamberello (Italy), quisquilla or camarón (Spain).

There are hundreds of this crustacean shellfish species across the world; however, in general, anything larger than 7 cm (3 in) is usually known as a prawn, whilst anything smaller is called a shrimp. Cold-water varieties are normally sold peeled and cooked, whereas those from warm-waters, such as the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic, are available raw; either peeled or in the shell (with or without heads). These include the luscious tiger prawn from the Indo-Pacific region, the East Asian king prawn and the Hawaiian blue prawn, a freshwater prawn with a brilliant blue tail.

Brown shrimps (crevettes grises) are small and delicate, and as such are an excellent choice for using in canapés and seafood cocktails. They are also particularly good when potted and served with lemon and hot toast.

When buying fresh prawns and shrimps in their shells, look for specimens with bright, crisp shells and reject any that have the slightest smell of ammonia. Frozen prawns or shrimps should be bought frozen – avoid those that have been thawed-out as they may have become spoiled.

Raw prawns or shrimps are best cooked by dropping them into a large pan of boiling salted water and simmering them for a minute or two. Larger species are excellent for butterflying and grilling or barbecuing. Cooked prawns should be heated gently and for as short a time as possible; over-cooking them will make them tough.