Grilled Prawns with Nduja Butter

https://www.notquitenigella.com/2025/04/02/grilled-prawns/

Grilled Prawn Recipe

Adapted from Chef Steve Scott

Recipe Overview

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 6 minutes

Ingredients Needed

  • 125g/4ozs unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 60g/2ozs Nduja
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 12 x U6 size green prawns (around 1.2kg/2.6lb)

Step-By-Step Cooking Instructions

Making the Nduja Butter

Step 1 - In a food processor blitz together nduja and butter, then add in salt and lemon juice and blitz again until smooth. This compound butter can be chilled in the fridge for later use or it can be used straight away.

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Preparing the Prawns

Step 2 - Prep your prawns by removing the middle shell and leaving the tail and head intact, using a sharp paring knife split the back and remove the back vein.

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Removing the back vein

Grilling the Prawns

Step 3 -Skewer prawns (I start at the head and then end the skewer at the tail) and they are ready to cook (if using wooden skewers be sure to soak them in cold water so they don't burn on your grill). Make sure your grill or bbq is very hot. Season prawns with sea salt and some good olive oil and put them on the hottest part of the grill, giving 2-3 minutes on each side, then set aside on your serving dish to rest.

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Serving the Prawns

Step 4 -Gently melt nduja butter in a separate sauce pan and when melted out spoon liberally over each prawn. Garnish with plenty of fresh chives and lemon wedges.

Personal Note

Sometimes when I eat out I ask the chef for the recipe especially if I know that it will be easy to recreate and these grilled prawns are no exception. Usually chef recipes can be complicated but these are simple with just a few ingredients.

I walked into a restaurant and saw the chef who I've known for a few years. I was thinking to myself as he walked towards me that it was a long time since I had seen him and was about to say, "Long time no see!"

Except he said to me first, "I like your dress!".

And I answered. "I know right!". Except in my mind I was answering to "Long time no see!" that I hadn't actually said out loud. So I must have just seemed like someone that was very conceited about my outfit. I tried to explain but I think that made it even weirder so I just sat down and chalked that up to an awkward interaction!

So tell me Dear Reader, do you always devein your prawns when you cook them? Do you ever have awkward interactions?


Did you make this?

© Lorraine Elliott