Post-vacation depression is:
The. Worst.
Mostly because, Sweetheart, everyday life is so far from sunshine, beaches and rosé all day – especially if you live in the SF Bay Area. But, more on that later.
I recently returned from two weeks in Greece where I adventured to different parts of the islands of Mykonos and Santorini on the back of an ATV, slept in a lot, read novels on the beach, and frolicked in the glorious sunshine and Agean Sea. Despite the fact that Greek cuisine is absolutely delicious, my travel partner and I actually skipped a lot of meals to happily prioritize the aforementioned. But on one of the few days we totally over-ate, we tried this traditional Greek dish that we saw everyone ordering at the restaurant – Argo – we’d been recommended to try during our exploration of Fira.
It was Prawn Saganaki.
The name totally sounds like a Japanese cartoon that features a ninja shrimp as the main protagonist, amiright? In any case, we became pretty obsessed. And after the first bite, as expected, my Huckleberry mind was already picking apart how I could create this Greek magic wizardry. Like, was it only good because we were deluded from drunk-on-vacation vibes with no expectations?
Spoiler:
It’s completely brilliant in real, non-vacation, life too!
Huckleberry Kim’s Prawn Saganaki
Serves 3ish.
Ingredients:
Please note: I’m one of those people who cooks by feelies and to taste (and doesn’t usually measure things much); so most of the following measurements are estimates based upon how much I think I used. Next time I make this dish, I might update this – but the following should be close!
- 6 large full-bodied prawns, and by that I mean with heads intact to their tails!
( ↑ The heads/bodies are super important for a truly prawny base – learnt from my time in Barcelona learning how to make paella ↑ ).
- 6 medium-large shrimps
( ↑ Honestly, I think the supplemental shrimp can be of any size you’d like. I like to play with the juxtaposition of textures and things in meals because I’m a mad scientist, but you do you, Babe. ↑ )
- 3 cloves of garlic – minced
- Half of an onion – chopped
- 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
- 4 tomatoes – chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)
- 1 cup of Greek feta
- 3 tablespoons of honey
- 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar
- A dash of cayenne pepper (optional, but do it like Guy Fieri would)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Parsley – chopped (optional, for garnish)
Directions:
- Heat up a skillet on medium-heat with your EVOO and add the chopped onions – cook until softened
- Add coconut oil and garlic – cook all until nicely browned
- *IMPORTANT: Peel the tails of the large prawns and squeeze their heads over the pan (some weird prawn brains will ooze into the pan) – reserve the prawns – still intact – for later
- Add tomatoes and optional tomato paste
- Cook down for 10-15 minutes – or until the garlic, onions, and tomatoes embrace each other like best friends
- Add the large prawns and cook until less translucent – maybe 3 minutes
- Add the other shrimps
- Add in the honey, sugar, and cayenne – stir well
- Very gradually add in the feta while keeping the Saganaki moving around the pan – it will slowly melt to combine with the other ingredients #bffs
- Add salt and pepper to taste
- Optionally, garnish with chopped parsley 🙂
Served with some toasted brioche for mopping up all the goodness; though this would pair well with anything! I might try doing a pasta next time. Let me know what you think!
Have you ever made a dish you tried for the first time on a trip? How did it work out?!
xo,
Huckleberry Kim
S O N G O F T H E M O M E N T
Awesome, thanks for sharing!
I followed the recipe and I can’t thank you enough! I am all satisfied with the end result! it is just the same!