Prawn Thermidor is a simple way to fancy up a potluck. Bring a tray filled with rows of bright orange shrimp, oozing with cheesy sauce and a crunchy toasted topping, and you're bound to be the chef of the evening. We've taken the chore out of the dish by skipping the tedious filling from the traditional way of making it. Instead, we replaced it with a cheesy, creamy sauce that only needs to be poured over the shrimp.
The result is still the same prawn thermidor everyone knows and adores. It's got the natural sweetness from the prawns, the richness from the cheese sauce, and a bit of crunch from the topping. But this one's way easier to put together.
Ingredients
Breadcrumbs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup parsley
- ¼ cup butter, melted
Prawns
- 1 kg prawns, cleaned and butterflied
Cheese Sauce
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 250g cheese, grated
- salt and pepper, to taste
In a bowl, combine breadcrumbs, parsley, and melted butter. Mix well and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Lay the butterflied prawns on a tray or serving dish. Set aside.
In a pan over medium heat, add the butter and heat until melted.
Add the flour and whisk continuously to avoid lumps. Cook for 3 mins or until slightly golden.
Add in the milk. Whisk and let simmer until thickened, about 5 more mins.
Add in the cheese and cook until fully melted. Season with salt and pepper and stir quickly then remove from heat.
Pour the cheese sauce evenly over the prawns then top generously with breadcrumbs.
Bake in the oven until breadcrumbs and cheese turn golden brown and prawns are cooked through, about 15-20 mins.
Once cooked, remove from oven and serve immediately.
