Imperial prawns are penaeid prawns farmed in France, in the Atlantic marshes since the 1980s.
It is a species that lives in the sandy-muddy bottoms, which can resist temperatures of 5 to 32 ° C and a salinity of 15 to 40 ° / °°. These conditions are met in the oyster claires of the Atlantic coast, the ideal environment for its culture.
EARL Boyard is a member of ACRIMA (Association of Imperial Prawn Breeders of Marais Charentais).
The producers are assisted technically by the CREAA (Regional Centre for Testing and Aquaculture Aplication: http: //www.creaa.fr), supported by INRA and got help from IRQUA (Regional Institute of Food Quality) for quality control with the with the establishment of specifications created by the producers themselves in order to produce only quality products: live prawn marketed as from 20g.
EARL Boyard farm its prawns in its oyster claires. Post larvae are put in the water in May: they weigh a few mg.
They are pre-grown in oyster claires for 1 month (20 to 40 prawns per square meter) fished at 1g and place in the water again in June at very low light density:
1 to 2 prawns / m² maximum.
Placing of post-larvae in water in May.
Within weeks the prawns weigh 20g (mid-July) and 25 to 40 g in September-October.
Some claires for imperial prawn farming: 1-2 prawn / m² maximum
The prawns are sold alive in boxes of 1 and 2 kg and are delivered all over France and abroad from August to November.
The breeding and shipment techniques are controlled and enhanced by experiments carried out in collaboration with the CREAA
The marketing of Imperial Prawns requires compliance with health standards of the establishment: application of the fish trade standard as it is a live crustacean.
This implies that EARL Boyard carried out the required works to create a specific packing room for prawns and got the specific sanitary registration for prawn shipping mandatory for any sale to an intermediary.
This room independent from the rest of the building has a work bench, a scale, water supply, a water cooling tank…
Water cooling tank
The passage of the prawns in cold water between 10 and 15 ° C allows to put them to sleep, which facilitates packaging and improves their survival chance.
Monitoring of the temperature and the dissolved oxygen content
Preparation of the packaging
The prawns are packed in polystyrene boxes with 100g of ice to maintain a constant temperature.
Storage of the prawns
Prawn in short broth:
Make a classic short broth
Bring to a boil
Put the live prawn
Cook for a quarter of an hour
Prawn Flambé:
Simple and tasty, a recipe worthy of this majestic product
Put the live prawn in an oiled pan, cover with a lid (sauteed!!)
Fry: they turn pink (10 mins)
Halfway through add garlic: finish the cooking (5mn)
Flambé with cognac
Serve immediately
Flambé with Grand Marnier: it’s even better!
Bon Appetit!
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