Langoustine or dublin bay prawns

Information on langoustine. also known as Dublin bay prawns and scampi.

A decapod crustacean the size of a large crayfish, fished from silty bottom regions of the open Atlantic and Mediterranean. According to the Larousse Gastronomique, the Dublin Bay prawn is known in French as "langoustine," while in Britain the shelled tail meat is generally referred to as "scampi." The term "prawn" can be confusing since it is used to describe several varieties of shellfish: the first group includes members of the lobster family such as the Dublin Bay prawn (langoustine in French and langostino in Spanish), Danish lobster, Italian scampi, etc., while the second takes in large shrimp, particularly those that live in fresh water.

Culinary File

They are delicate and need to be poached only for a few seconds in court-bouillon. Unlike the rock lobster or spiny lobster (called "langouste" in French), or even shrimp, the Dublin Bay prawn changes colour little during cooking. It is better to undercook it rather than overcook it, so that it does not become tough and dry.

When very fresh, Dublin Bay prawns have an outstanding slightly sweet flavour that is lost when they are frozen. They can be eaten plain, accompanied by melted butter.

In North America, it is common to coat Dublin Bay prawns with bread crumbs and butter and cook them briefly under a very hot broiler.

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