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Dr Rupy’s Cajun-Style Beans and Prawns

This quick and healthy meal from Dr Rupy features protein-packed haricot beans and juicy king prawns in a light sauce flavoured with tarragon and thyme.

From the book

Introduction

When I spent time in Louisiana, I visited the culinary medicine school at Tulane University, which was teaching the local community (who were at high risk of metabolic syndrome and heart disease) how to prepare simple, healthier versions of meals that still reflected the origins of their Creole influence and culture. I think this is crucial when creating recipes and meals that people will love and want to cook time and time again. The prawns can be easily substituted for other fish, and this dish has lots of fibre to help maintain sugar and inflammation levels. It’s satiating and has a beautiful flavour, thanks to the collection of herbs and spices that make this a warming, flavourful, and anti-inflammatory meal.

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Ingredients

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
200g leeks, roughly chopped
200g shallot or white onion, diced
200g green pepper, deseeded and diced
4 garlic cloves, diced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried tarragon
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 pared strips of zest and juice of 1 lemon
50ml dry white wine
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
300-350ml fish stock or vegetable stock
1 tsp cornflour
1 x 400g can haricot beans, drained and rinsed
400g raw jumbo prawns, shelled and deveined
Small bunch of (20g) parsley, very finely chopped

Method

Heat the oil in a shallow flameproof casserole over a medium heat and sauté the leeks, shallot or onion and green pepper, with seasoning, for 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, herbs, spices and lemon zest. Cook for a further 2 minutes to infuse their flavours.

Add the wine and half the lemon juice and let it bubble for a minute before adding the Worcestershire sauce, if using, stock and cornflour, stirring so all the ingredients come together, then tip in the beans.

Bring to a gentle simmer for a few minutes then add the prawns. When they turn pink, about 4 to 5 minutes, turn them all over in the dish and cook for a further 1 minute before taking off the heat, scattering with parsley and serving with more lemon juice.

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From the book: Dr Rupy Cooks: Healthy. Easy. Flavour

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