Double garlic hit with these Garlic Brown Butter Shrimp! Shrimp/prawns marinated in garlic drizzled with garlic infused brown butter, served on a cloud of cauliflower puree. Elegant, fast and EASY!
This is my copycat of a dish I had at a posh Sydney restaurant. Do you ever go to restaurants, order expensive dishes, pay a fortune and think “heck, I could make this myself!”?
That’s exactly what I did in this case. It’s such a simple, beautiful flavour combination which was super easy to replicate at home.
Ahem. OK. To be entirely truthful, I may have rather extensively grilled the poor waiter to get as much detail as I could…and he actually had to go into the kitchen to get all the answers! 🙂
The extra garlic flavour is what caught my attention. Turns out the prawns (shrimp) were drizzled with melted roasted garlic butter. The special finishing touch.
Easy enough to copy. BUT roasting garlic takes around 50 minutes in the oven which, in my books, is not worth doing when you only need a teeny bit for the butter. So I decided to make mine with a garlic infused brown butter instead which takes around 7 minutes. The flavour is remarkably similar!
For a dish like this which is so simple but elegant, the key is using GOOD SHRIMP / PRAWNS! Prawns are a treat in my books. Raw whole fresh prawns in Sydney are around $20 – $25 per kg ($10 – $12.50 per lb).
When I splurge on prawns, my biggest fear is overcooking them. Have you ever had overcooked prawns? They’re bouncy, kind of like rubber. Horrid.
It’s a crime to overcook prawns in my books.
And it is way easier to tell if a prawn is perfectly cooked than it is to know if a steak is perfectly medium rare. See? Simple as this:
I really recommend purchasing either whole prawns and peeling them yourself or buying peeled fresh prawns. Frozen prawns just aren’t the same!
The crowning glory of this is the brown butter. You do not need very much! I know it sounds utterly indulgent, but actually it is not that bad! You do need 3 tablespoons to make the brown butter, but you only end up using 2 tablespoons because the rest gets discarded.
So don’t feel so guilty.
You deserve a treat. Or find a reason to indulge / celebrate a romantic evening. This is perfect for that!
– Nagi x
- 10 oz / 300 g peeled prawns (12 to 14 large prawns) (about 500g whole unpeeled prawns)
- 2 cloves garlic , crushed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tbsp white wine
- 3 tbsp salted butter
- 2 garlic cloves , smashed (Note 1)
- 1/2 medium cauliflower , broken into florets
- 1 to 3 tbsp butter (or to taste)
- 1/3 to 2/3 cup milk
- Salt and pepper
- Parsley , finely chopped
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Garlic Prawns: Combine ingredients except the wine in a bowl, using your fingers to toss gently. Set aside for 10 minutes.
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Cauliflower Puree: Cook the cauliflower in boiling water until soft - about 10 minutes. Drain and allow to cool slightly. Transfer cauliflower to a blender or food processor, add butter, 1/3 cup of milk, salt and pepper. Puree until smooth, using extra milk to get the texture to your liking. Leave in the blender with the lid on to keep warm.
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Place the butter and garlic in a small silver saucepan or small silver fry pan over medium heat. After a few minutes, the butter will start to foam. Then it will begin to turn brown, begin to smell nutty and little brown flecks will appear.
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When the garlic is a golden brown colour, transfer to a small bowl (I pick them out with chopsticks).
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When the butter turns a golden brown colour, remove from the stove. Carefully pour the butter into the bowl with the garlic, leaving the brown specks in the saucepan (they are a bit bitter). You should have about 2 tbsp of browned butter.
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Heat a skillet over high heat (no oil). Add the prawns and cook for 50 seconds or until the underside has just a hint of golden brown. Turn and cook the other side for 30 seconds, then add the wine and cook for another 30 seconds or until the wine has evaporated.
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Spread about 1 cup of Cauliflower Puree onto a plate. Top with half the prawns, drizzle with browned butter and sprinkle with parsley.
1. I used smashed garlic cloves in this rather than crushed/minced garlic because it burns and turns bitter. Use the palm of your hand to hit the side of a knife to smash the garlic so it sort of "bursts" open into 2 or 3 largish pieces. The skin will slip right off. (This is also how I peel garlic cloves!)
2. The nutrition reflects that even though the Browned Butter calls for 3 tbsp of butter, 1 tbsp is discarded. Nutrition for shrimp/prawns only on the left and nutrition with cauliflower puree on the right.
Quick question, Nagi: Do you use the same (smashed) garlic cloves for the marinade and then use them in the brown butter? Or are the ones in the marinade chopped or sliced or ??? Thanks1
Oops, sorry I should have specified better! It is 2 cloves minced for the marinade plus 2 smashed cloves for the brown butter. Thanks for the question, I’ve updated the recipe! N x
Made it with two cloves, smashed them and then used in marinade, then in browned butter. I had garlic olive oil, which bridged the gap of not using four cloves! And oh, my goodness! It was fantastic! We aren’t cauliflower fans so I served it over polenta slices. A New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect wine with it; a Sancerre would also be lovely. Mr. Fussy is beginning to love you as much as I do, as everything I’ve made from your blog has been outstanding. This was like the Italian dish Scampi only better. And so easy! I took a pic and will put it on Instagram and FB. Sending to my daughter as well, as her husband loves shrimp and garlic.
PS–aren’t you supposed to be unplugging for a while?!?!
And I have to confess,I made this with frozen prawns. Not easy to get fresh here!
Nothing to “confess”!!! I would most certainly make this with frozen if fresh were hard to come by 🙂 As it happens, fresh are not that much more expensive than frozen so I always get fresh. But that’s the great thing about cooking – make things using what you can get! N x
Don’t ask…. 😉 I can’t help it!! I saw a bunch of questions about recipes from readers and I had to find wifi to respond! 🙂
Marlene!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! And thank you so much for the wine pairing notes. 🙂 I think other people using this recipe will find it useful! I look forward to seeing the photo on IG 🙂 I’m camping this weekend with limited internet connection so will check in as soon as I get home!
I made these with my 12 year old niece today! She had a ball and LOVED them almost as much as I did!! Nice to make something that kids will eat and adults enjoy too!!
Yowzer! I’m SO GLAD your niece loved it too – yay!!! (Hmm, showing signs of a taste for posh food….?? 😉 )
thank you for the C vs O cooked prawn graphic – I did not know this! I love love LOVE prawns but you’re right – overcooked is a crime. This looks tremendous!
It’s a handy tip to know, isn’t it! 😉
LOVE this Nagi!! And your little illustration on perfectly cooked shrimp is so helpful…awesome! This is just beautiful!
Thanks Becky!! Not a fancy pic but certainly does the job!! N x
A big yes to garlic and prawns, and the addition of cauli is an absolute bonus. I’d hoover this up any day!
*Snort* You’d add some fancy micro herbs or something to this, surely! 😉 Fancy up my humble dish for me John! N x
I wish you were in the US. I could get some delicious AMAZING prawns (shrimp) but you’d have to trade me for some roasted garlic because I’m scared to cook it. Meaning, I might not contain myself. I love garlic!
ME TOO! We would be dangerous in the kitchen together! 🙂 N x
This looks delish and I am eager to try it….only thing is ….due to religious restrictions I don’t cook with alcohol…can I substitute the white wine with something else? Or can I just omit it?
Hi Taz! I should have written this in the notes – just omit it or add a dash of chicken broth/stock if you have it on hand. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!! The brown butter really adds a special something to this! N x
I love prawns so much. I find all kinds of excuses to buy them cause I am the only one in the house that eats them. One thing I adore with them is cauliflower. This is so up my alley Nagi!
No way, Skater doesn’t like prawns???!!
I don’t have prawns very often, but when I do, it’s exactly what I’d have. They look scrumptious, Nagi!
Thanks Mel! Nice and simple, just how I like it 🙂
Garlic, garlic, I LOVE garlic! I love the smell, the taste, no vampire’s coming near me… that’s for sure! 😉 Stunning dish, Nagi! And what a genius way to short cut roasting garlic by making a garlic infused brown butter – bra-vo!
I know, right? Garlic. Anything garlic and I’m there! 🙂
Everything about this recipe is just so perfect, Nagi (and a sincere thank you for the guide to knowing if your shrimp is cooked properly or not, I didn’t know how to tell!)! Beautiful dish! 🙂
It’s a cool tip, isn’t it Sam? Glad you found it useful! N x
Oh heavens Nagi – that first picture…then that second picture… then I read romance…
I love prawns and love reading about this amazing garlic infused brown butter, but your pictures are distracting me….now I have a puddle of drool on my desk…So much awesomeness! Since I don’t have anyone to romance – am eating ALL the garlicy prawns and creamed cauliflower! YES!!!!
Ha! I always love reading your comments, you crack me up Shashi!! N x
My favourite way to eat Prawns!! The addition of Brown butter makes it even better! Now I wish there were some prawns in the freezer to make this for lunch. Delicious Nagi! 🙂
I know, right? Brown butter + garlic. Killer combo! 🙂
First of all you’ve found my weakness —well, I have several: brown butter, garlic, shrimp! Yum! Yum! Yum! And I’ve done the same thing in a restaurant 🙂 Most of the time they are very nice about it. Your photos are absolutely stunning and I bought your book. I am learning so much and I’m only on page 32. Unfortunately I don’t have a camera with a removal lens but I it does have all the other features. I’m saving my pennies for a big girls camera. Getting back to brown butter — it makes everything taste better!!
Hi Marisa! Thank you for purchasing my book – and I’m so glad you are finding is useful!! You know, starting to practice the things in the book with your current camera is actually an added benefit because you have one less variable to worry about! So you can work on lighting, styling etc rather than being overwhelmed trying to learn everything at the same time. 🙂 I didn’t want to emphasise it too much in the book, but honestly, you can take great photos even with an iPhone if you have great lighting, styling etc. 🙂 Nx
I already know these are outstanding! In fact last night I made Mexican Garlic Shrimp that were very similar except they use lots of lime juice and peppers. I put mine over calabacitas, but now I’m ready to try your version. That cauliflower puree looks divine!
Oooh! Mexican garlic shrimp? Tell me that’s on your blog!!
Hi Nagi! At first glance this looks like Southern shrimp and grits, which are one of my favorites! I love cauliflower and you my friend always bring it center stage! Having an elegant restaurant dish has inspired me on many occasions to recreate the dish at home – I carry a small notepad in my purse and actually take notes while I eat! 🙂
That is just about the cutest thing I’ve heard! Remind me where you are located Dorothy? I need to remember in case I’m passing through one of these days – I have to take you to dinner!!
PS I LOVE southern Shrimp and grits too. We don’t have grits here in Australia!!! It kills me!!!
Hi Nagi! We live in very rural Eastern TN and the closest fine dining is in Knoxville, about an hour away. When I said grits, it is really more of a soft polenta (cooks in 6 minutes with none of the constant stirring) made with yellow cornmeal, butter and cheese. People here in the South would probably not eat it! I’ll share if you want – let me know! 🙂
Check out AnsonMills.com for some fantastic southern heirloom grains including grits, polenta, rice, wheat, etc. I am in no way affiliated. Store bought just cannot compare. Pretty sure they ship worldwide.
I have some shrimp in the freezer and I hear them calling me to put them in this recipe. Pretty sure they are also saying “double the double garlic!” 🙂
PS. Thanks for clarifying the rice wine/rice vinegar/rice wine vinegar thing for me, Nagi! Such a relief not to have to search the grocery for rice wine vinegar anymore. Phew! 🙂
Wow, that sounds incredible!! I’ll have a look, thanks so much for the tip. 🙂 No worries re: rice wine etc. I know it can be confusing! N x
I often eat something at a restaurant and totally know I could make it better myself. And then do. 😉 Although I doubt if I could make this dish better than you do! Really nice combo of flavors. It’s a little bit like New Orlean’s BBQ Shrimp (that’s what they call it — there’s no barbecuing involved, just loads of shrimp, garlic, and butter). Anyway, really nice — thanks.
Hey John! Nice to hear from you! I made your shredded beef tacos last night. 🙂 SO GOOD! Used leftovers to make freezer burritos that I’m taking camping this weekend!!
Ha! I have TOTALLY eaten at a restaurant and though to myself, “Shoot I could have made this and it probably would have tasted better AND been cheaper!” In fact I JUST thought that recently! 😉 I LOVE this dish, Nagi! You totally had me drooling at DOUBLE GARLIC! YES PLEASE! Gimme all the garlicky yum yums! So cool the waiter went into the back of the house and got you some 411 so you could recreate this dish! Prawns are SO delicious and I am totally digging the garlic marinade and the garlic infused brown butter!! AND served over one of my favorite things – cauli mash?? OMG NEED THIS PRONTO! Pinned! This WILL be happening in my kitchen very soon! Cheers, lovely lady!
I KNOW! I remember your post!! 😉
Oooh! This sounds delicious (of course!) but I didn’t spot the pureed cauliflower til just now – if it wasn’t before (it was!), that definitely elevates it to a restaurant-quality meal!
THANKS HELEN!! <3 Hope you're well. Sounds like you've been crazy busy!
Absolutely gorgeous and so delicious. 🙂 Such a simple yet gorgeous dish. 🙂
Thanks Krista!! I’m glad you like the look of this! <3