Prawns are succulent, meaty and have a subtle, sweet flavour which lends itself particularly well to seafood starters. Red prawns, known in Italy as gambero rosso, are a particular favourite of our Italian chefs and feature frequently throughout this collection. Daniele Usai pairs Red prawn with coconut, passion fruit and coriander in his beautifully presented seafood starter, while Gaetano Trovato’s impressive Red prawn with cuttlefish and sea lettuce is guaranteed to wow dinner party guests. For a quick prawn starter that still packs a flavoursome punch try Mauro Uliassi’s stunning Red prawns with lemon water and pineapple sage flowers, which can be whipped up in just 30 minutes

This collection of starter recipes demonstrates the fantastic versatility of prawns. Soup is always a winner when it comes to starters, especially with the addition of prawns. Christina Bowerman’s creamy Corn soup with cotechino – a type of Italian sausage – is topped with shrimps and red prawns, while Gaetano Trovato serves Prawns with foire gras, dehydrated capers and a vibrant melon gazpacho.