Brazilian recipe
Creamy Brazilian Prawn and Hearts of Palm Bake (Camarão com palmito gratinado)
This indulgent Brazilian-style bake features succulent prawns and tender hearts of palm in a silky, cheesy sauce—the perfect comfort food for a special dinner at home.
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Ingredients
2 cups full-cream milk
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons plain flour
Sea salt to taste
1 brown onion, sliced into rings
1 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 can heart of palm, sliced into rounds
Margarine and salted butter, for frying and greasing
1 can cooking cream (or thickened cream)
Extra parmesan cheese, for sprinkling
2 kg prawns, peeled, deveined and seasoned
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons plain flour
Sea salt to taste
1 brown onion, sliced into rings
1 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 can heart of palm, sliced into rounds
Margarine and salted butter, for frying and greasing
1 can cooking cream (or thickened cream)
Extra parmesan cheese, for sprinkling
2 kg prawns, peeled, deveined and seasoned
1 tablespoon butter
Where to find ingredients
Find prawns at your local fishmonger or the fresh seafood counter at Coles or Woolworths; opt for raw, cleaned king prawns for best results. Hearts of palm (often labelled as 'hearts of palm' or 'palm hearts') are usually stocked in the canned vegetables or international aisle of major supermarkets, or look for them in Latin American grocers. Parmesan should be a good-quality hard block you can grate yourself. Cooking cream is available in the dairy aisle; if unavailable, thickened cream makes a great substitute for a rich sauce.
Preparation method
- Sauté the prawns in olive oil with minced garlic and onion rings until they are beautifully golden
- For the white sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan and sweat the remaining sliced onion until soft and translucent
- In a blender, combine the milk and flour, whizzing until completely smooth
- Pour the milk mixture into the saucepan with the onions and cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a rich, velvety cream
- Stir the cream into the white sauce base, then set aside
- Grease a baking dish and spread the sautéed prawns evenly, then pour the creamy white sauce over the top
- Scatter a generous amount of grated parmesan over the surface
- Pop it into a preheated oven at 200°C for about 20 minutes, or until the top is bubbling and perfectly golden-brown
- While it bakes, gently fry the extra onion slices in a mix of margarine and butter until they are nice and caramelised
- Serve your bake piping hot, garnished with the sweet caramelised onions on top
Observations
Treat your guests to this classic Brazilian comfort dish. It brings together juicy prawns and the delicate, slightly nutty flavour of heart of palm, all swimming in a velvety white sauce topped with a generous layer of golden, melted parmesan. It is a fantastic, fuss-free way to serve a sophisticated seafood dinner that everyone will love. The final touch of caramelised onion adds a lovely depth to the creamy base.
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