Prawn and calamari potjie. (Photo: Tony Jackman)

This recipe accompanies this column.

Start by making a mirepoix – an aromatic flavour base on which to build the dish – of 2 large onions, 3 medium carrots and 2 celery sticks. This means finely dicing the vegetables and then sweating them slowly in a pot in a little butter.

Add 500ml cold water and bring it to a simmer. Add the heads of the prawns you’re using to make the potjie. Boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

The prawn heads are added to the stock. (Photo: Tony Jackman)

Sauté 1 large chopped onion and 3 sliced leeks in olive oil in a potjie with 3 cloves garlic and a handful of chopped fennel fronds.

Add two long strips of orange peel with as little pith as possible.

Add 500ml dry white wine, cover and simmer.

Reduce until there’s hardly any liquid left and the wine has concentrated to a delicious stickiness.

Strain the fish stock you made earlier. Stir into it 100g tomato paste and add a generous pinch of saffron strands. Bring it to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

This is what the seafood stock looks like once it’s ready to be added to the potjie. Note the saffron strands. (Photo: Tony Jackman)

Pour the stock into a jug and then add it to the potjie. Bring it back to a gentle simmer.

Add the calamari rings and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the deveined prawns in their shells and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove from heat.

Stir in chopped parsley.

Serve with rice or garlic bread. DM/TGIFood

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