Preparation

• Gently separate the heads from the bodies of the prawns.

  Rinse the heads under running water as if you were washing small containers until internal organs and residues are removed.
  * Some will argue that this loses part of the flavor, but I prefer to completely remove the contents.
  Let them drain in a colander.

  With kitchen scissors, cut off the antennae and antennules.

  

• Heat a small saucepan, add the cleaned prawn heads and brown them on both sides.

  Add:
  – 1 cup of water;
  – 3 tbsp + 1 tsp of tomato sauce [optional] but you can also make it without tomato;
  – a homemade vegetable bouillon cube [optional] or one shallot or half an onion;
  and stir to combine.

  Cover with a lid (preferably glass) and simmer on medium-low heat for 10 minutes.

  

• With the heat off, use kitchen tongs to remove the prawn heads, squeezing out the liquid they contain and discarding any shell pieces and antennae.
  If you prefer, strain the broth through a sieve to remove any residues.

  Your broth with prawn heads is ready.

  Enjoy your meal!

• Peel the prawns.
  Then:
  – with a sharp knife, make an incision along the back of the prawn;
  – with a toothpick or the tip of the knife, remove the black vein.
  This applies to all shrimp sizes, from large prawns to small shrimp, although for small shrimp it can be more difficult and sometimes skipped if it is not very visible.

  Rinse the peeled prawns thoroughly under running water.
  Let them drain.
  Pat dry the remaining moisture with kitchen paper towels.

• Your peeled prawns are ready.

  You can use the peeled prawns whole or cut them into pieces as a base for many recipes – appetizers, first courses or main courses.

  Browse the many recipes on the blog by clicking the following link: prawns.

  You can add them to the broth at the end of the preparation: just a few minutes of cooking.

• Adjust salt and grind pepper.

  For brothy first courses, to avoid glycemic spikes, it is advisable to cook the pasta separately, then rinse it and add it to the prepared brothy sauce; in this way the starch released by the pasta into the cooking water is removed.

  Cook the pasta separately from the broth.
  Drain it and rinse it well under running water to remove released starch.
  Combine it with the hot broth prepared separately.

  This reduces the glycemic load of the dish and makes it more manageable and light, without giving up the comfort of pasta in broth.

  The pasta in prawn-head broth without prawns or other fish is a first course — a source of carbohydrates — easy to balance by adding a protein source and vegetables to compose a balanced meal or one-dish plate that helps keep blood sugar stable.

  The pasta in prawn-head broth with prawns or other fish is a complete dish; add your portion of vegetables to compose a balanced meal or one-dish plate that helps keep blood sugar stable.

• The broth with prawn heads is a natural, healthy and versatile base ingredient for cooking and flavoring.

  It is perfect as a base for many fish-based recipes:
  – sauces, dressings and condiments;
  – soups, pasta or risottos;
  – couscous, fregola or paella;
  – appetizers, first and main courses;
  – stews.

• – Gurnard fish broth;
  – Onion fish broth or red scorpionfish broth;
  – Poor man’s fish broth.