Potted Shrimp on Toast with Brown Butter
Why this recipe works
- Fast but polished: Using small peeled prawns keeps the cooking time very short while still giving the dish a restaurant-style feel.
- Nutty, aromatic butter: Browning the butter adds depth, while mace and lemon lift the richness without making the dish heavy.
- Crisp toast, tender prawns: Golden toast gives structure and crunch against the soft prawns and warm buttery juices.
Get the most out of this recipe
Timing notes
- Serve immediately: The butter is at its best while warm and fluid, so have the toast ready before adding the prawns to the pan.
- Best eaten fresh: This dish loses some of its delicacy once chilled and reheated, so it is strongest when served straight from the pan.
Authenticity notes
- Based on potted shrimp: Traditional British potted shrimp is associated with small prawns set under spiced butter; this version keeps the same butter-and-mace profile but serves it warm on toast.
- Brown butter twist: Using brown butter gives the dish a deeper, nuttier flavour than a more classic melted-butter version.
Ingredient notes
- Use mace carefully: Ground mace is warm and aromatic, so it should support the prawns rather than dominate them.
- Choose small prawns: Small peeled prawns suit this style because they warm quickly and hold plenty of the spiced butter.
- Toast matters: A sturdy, crusty white bread gives better crunch and holds the buttery juices without collapsing too quickly.
Common mistakes
- Taking the butter too far: Remove the pan from the heat as soon as the butter smells nutty and the milk solids are deep golden; it can turn bitter quickly.
- Cooking the prawns too hard: The prawns only need gentle warming. High heat can make them firm and less sweet.
- Toasting too early: Toast the bread close to serving so it stays crisp under the warm brown butter.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Toast the crusty white bread until golden and crisp. Finely zest the lemon, then cut it in half and squeeze out a little juice.
- Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat and cook, swirling often, for 3–4 minutes until it smells nutty and turns deep golden. Take the pan off the heat as soon as the milk solids are browned.
- Return the pan to low heat and add the prawns, ground mace, fine sea salt, lemon zest, and 1 tsp lemon juice. Warm gently for 1–2 minutes, stirring, just until the prawns are hot through and coated in the brown butter.
- Spoon the warm prawns and brown butter into a small serving dish, then finish with a pinch of black pepper. Serve straight away over the toast, making sure everyone gets plenty of the buttery juices.
Recipe notes
Tips
- Keep the heat moderate when browning the butter and pull it off the heat as soon as it turns deep golden, as it can go from nutty to burnt quickly.
- Warm the prawns gently rather than frying them hard, so they stay sweet and tender.
- If serving for a date night, warm the serving dish with hot water, then dry it well before spooning in the prawns to help keep everything hot.
Substitutions
- Replace Crusty white bread with Brioche bread for a softer, richer toast base.
- Replace Butter with Ghee for a similar nutty flavour with a little more heat tolerance.
- Replace Lemon with Lime for a sharper citrus finish.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 1 days
- Best eaten straight away. If you have leftovers, cool quickly and refrigerate in a covered container; reheat very gently in a frying pan over low heat until just piping hot, and toast fresh bread to serve.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 2 servings
- Total time: 12min (12min active)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: British
-
Allergens:
Crustaceans Gluten Milk Wheat
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