Langostinos in Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 bulb fennel
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp Tomato paste
• 20 ml Pernod
• 150 ml dry white wine
• 4 tomatoes
• 150 g mushrooms (chanterelles or black trumpets)
• 8 shallots
• 8 fresh garlic cloves
• Salt
• ground pepper
• 8 king prawns
• 100 ml whipping cream
• 1 pinch sugar
• herbs for garnish (e.g., parsley and shiso)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Wash, trim, and set aside the fennel fronds for garnish; cut the bulb into small pieces. In a hot pot, sauté in 1 tbsp oil until colorless. Stir in tomato paste, then deglaze with Pernod and wine. Wash tomatoes, remove stems, dice, and add to the fennel. Simmer gently for about 20 minutes.

2. 2.

   Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) with both top and bottom heat.

3. 3.

   Clean mushrooms and cut into smaller pieces if needed. Peel shallots and garlic; place them with mushrooms on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tbsp oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until golden brown.

4. 4.

   Place king prawns in a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 2-3 minutes.

5. 5.

   Pass the sauce through a fine sieve; return to the pot, add cream, and let thicken slightly. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar.

6. 6.

   Lift the prawns from the water with a slotted spoon, drain, and split lengthwise. Arrange on plates with the sauce and mushroom mixture. Garnish with herbs and fennel fronds before serving.