prawn
There is a great deal of confusion about this term because it's used to describe several different
SHELLFISH. 1. The first definition refers to a species that's part of the
LOBSTER family and includes those
CRUSTACEANS variously called Dublin Bay prawn, Danish
LOBSTER, Italian scampi, langoustine (French), langostino (Spanish), Caribbean
LOBSTERette and Florida
LOBSTERette. These "prawns" have bodies shaped like tiny Maine
LOBSTERS including minuscule claws. The meat has a sweet, delicate flavor that some claim is better than either
LOBSTER or
SHRIMP. These "prawns" are 6 to 8 inches in length and have pale-red bodies deepening to dark-red tails. 2. A second definition applies to the freshwater prawn (identified by the Latin name Macrobrachium); the term distinguishes
SHRIMP as living in salt water and prawns as freshwater creatures. In truth, these prawns migrate (much like salmon) from salt water to fresh water to spawn. They look like a cross between a
SHRIMP and a
LOBSTER, with their bodies having narrower abdomens and longer legs than
SHRIMP. See also
HAWAIIAN BLUE PRAWN. 3. The term "prawn" is also loosely used to describe any large
SHRIMP, especially those that come 15 (or fewer) to the pound (also called "jumbo
SHRIMP").
© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER'S
COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.
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