Brazilian recipe
Creamy Prawns (Camarão ao creme)
Discover how to make a velvety, indulgent Brazilian-style creamy prawn dish. A classic recipe that’s surprisingly straightforward to prepare at home.
0.0 / 5 by 0 Reviews
Ingredients
2kg large prawns with shells (or 1kg peeled)
Juice of 2 lemons
Sea salt to taste
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small tin extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
4 tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and chopped
1 ½ tbsp annatto powder
520g tomato sauce with parsley and basil
2 tbsp beef-flavoured stock powder
15 fresh basil leaves, chopped
200g butter
250g requeijão cremoso
1 tin single cream (creme de leite)
2 tbsp cornflour
2 bunches coriander, chopped
2 bunches spring onions, chopped
Juice of 2 lemons
Sea salt to taste
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small tin extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
4 tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and chopped
1 ½ tbsp annatto powder
520g tomato sauce with parsley and basil
2 tbsp beef-flavoured stock powder
15 fresh basil leaves, chopped
200g butter
250g requeijão cremoso
1 tin single cream (creme de leite)
2 tbsp cornflour
2 bunches coriander, chopped
2 bunches spring onions, chopped
Where to find ingredients
You can find fresh prawns at your local fishmonger or the seafood counter of larger supermarkets. Requeijão cremoso is a distinctive Brazilian cream cheese; if unavailable, a high-quality, thick spreadable cream cheese or soft goat's cheese can serve as a substitute. Annatto powder (colorau) is available in specialist Latin American grocers. Ensure you use a good quality single cream to maintain the intended consistency.
Preparation method
- Thoroughly wash the prawns and marinate them in the lemon juice and salt for about 20 minutes.
- Rinse the prawns once more and drain thoroughly.
- In a large heavy-bottomed pan, sauté the crushed garlic in the olive oil until golden.
- Add the chopped onions, annatto powder, and diced tomatoes to the pan.
- Cook over medium heat until the onions have softened.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, beef-flavoured stock powder, and chopped basil.
- Add the butter and the prepared prawns to the mixture.
- Simmer on a low heat for approximately 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the requeijão cremoso and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring until the sauce thickens.
- If required, dissolve the cornflour in a little of the pan liquid and stir back into the mixture, cooking for a further 3 minutes.
- Add the fresh coriander and spring onions.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the single cream.
- Gently mix until the sauce is completely smooth and homogeneous.
Observations
Camarão ao creme is a staple of Brazilian coastal cooking, beloved for its indulgent, velvety texture and deep, layered flavour. This recipe brings that refined taste to your kitchen, offering a straightforward approach that elevates a simple weeknight meal into a special occasion.
By using fresh prawns and a thoughtful blend of aromatics, you can achieve a restaurant-quality finish at home. The prawns are simmered until succulent, then folded into a rich, herb-infused sauce that is as comforting as it is impressive.
By using fresh prawns and a thoughtful blend of aromatics, you can achieve a restaurant-quality finish at home. The prawns are simmered until succulent, then folded into a rich, herb-infused sauce that is as comforting as it is impressive.
Ratings and comments