Garlic Prawn Linguine

Method

1. Prep the Vegetables

   • Halve the lemon, ready to squeeze.
   • Trim the courgette, halve it lengthways, then cut it into roughly 1cm dice.
   • Halve the cherry tomatoes.
   • Peel the garlic and thinly slice it.
   • Pick the parsley leaves from the thicker stalks and finely chop them.

2. Boil the Pasta

   • Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the linguine and cook for 9–11 mins until just tender with a little bite. Scoop out a mugful of cooking water, then drain well.

3. Start the Sauce

   • Heat a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
   • Add the prepared courgette and cook for 4–5 mins until beginning to soften and colour at the edges.

4. Soften the Courgette

   • Add the prepared sliced garlic and a pinch of chilli flakes to the courgette and cook for 1 min.
   • Add the halved cherry tomatoes and cook for another 2–3 mins until they start to soften.

5. Make the Sauce

   • For frozen raw prawns, follow the pack to defrost fully in the fridge before cooking. Drain and pat dry, then cook from chilled as the method says until opaque and piping hot; do not cook from frozen unless the pack specifically permits it.
   • Dissolve 1 stock cube or paste portion in 150 ml boiling water to make the chicken stock.
   • Pour in the chicken stock and simmer for 2 mins.
   • Lower the heat, stir in the crème fraîche and a little squeeze of lemon juice (about 1 tsp), then add the prawns and cook gently for 3–4 mins until pink and opaque.

6. Toss the Pasta

   • Add the drained linguine and a splash of pasta water to the creamy prawn sauce.
   • Toss until glossy, then fold through the rocket so it just begins to wilt.

7. Finish and Serve

   • Finish with the remaining lemon juice, plenty of black pepper and the prepared chopped parsley, then serve straight away.