Garlic Prawns Recipe

Garlic prawns can be made with readily available ingredients. These proportions, steps and tips will help you plan the preparation.

Ingredients

500 g raw peeled prawns
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
Bread, to serve

Step-by-step method

If the prawns are frozen, thaw them in the fridge, then pat dry. Remove the digestive tract if it has not already been removed.
Thinly slice the garlic, cut the lemon in half and chop the parsley.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and heat briefly without letting it brown.
Add the prawns in a single layer and fry, usually for 1-2 minutes on each side, until pink and opaque.
Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately with bread.

Time and servings

About 20 minutes, plus thawing. Serves 4.

Tips and variations

Drying the prawns helps them fry rather than cook in water.
Cooking time depends on their size, so watch for changes in colour and texture.
Add a pinch of chilli if you like more heat.

Preparing the prawns

If using frozen prawns, transfer them to the fridge beforehand in a dish that will catch the liquid. Once thawed, drain and pat dry with kitchen paper. Excess moisture lowers the temperature of the pan and causes the prawns to release water rather than fry. Before cooking, also check that the shells and the dark tract along the back have been removed. If necessary, make a shallow cut along the back and remove it with the tip of a knife.

Prepare all the accompaniments before heating the pan. Slice the garlic thinly and as evenly as possible, chop the parsley and halve the lemon. You can squeeze the juice into a small bowl and remove the seeds. Prawns cook quickly, so there will not be much time for chopping once you start. Prepare the bread beforehand too, so you can serve the dish as soon as it comes off the heat.

Cooking and seasoning

Choose a pan large enough to hold the prawns in a single layer. If your pan is smaller, cook them in two batches. Heat the oil and butter over medium heat and add the garlic. Stir briefly until fragrant. Do not wait for it to turn dark brown: burnt garlic makes the fat taste bitter. If it browns too quickly, lower the heat or move the pan aside briefly.

Spread the prawns in the pan without moving them constantly. When they change colour underneath, turn each one over. The stated cooking time is a guide because the size of the prawns matters. When ready, they should be pink and opaque even at the thickest point. Take them off the heat once cooked, as prolonged frying makes them tough.

Add lemon juice gradually. Pour in a little first, mix it with the butter and oil, then taste the sauce. Serve the remaining lemon in wedges so everyone can season their own portion. Add the parsley at the end, saving a little to scatter over the plates. If the sauce tastes too intense, add a tablespoon of water and briefly stir it into the pan.

Serving and variations

Crusty bread is good for soaking up the garlic butter from the pan. You can lightly toast it first, though this is optional. The prawns also go well with rice or pasta. Cook the pasta before frying and save a little of its cooking water: a small amount helps bring it together with the sauce. Mix everything briefly to avoid cooking the prawns for longer.

For more heat, add a pinch of chilli with the garlic. You can also use more parsley or replace some of the lemon juice with an extra wedge on the plate. Add salt at the end, especially if the prawns were previously salted. Cool leftovers, transfer to a closed container and refrigerate. When reheating, heat briefly until the dish is hot throughout to avoid drying out the prawns.