Prawns are my absolute favourite food. If given a choice I will opt for fresh school prawns, on buttered soft white bread, with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt flakes with a bottle of good white wine eaten on a beach or on our back verandah as the best way to spend an afternoon. I think that a long, slow lunch is far more decadent than an evening meal. There is something about the mindset that I should be at work during the day so a long lunch is just that bit more special.
This is another really simple and quick dish — tastes better if you use freshly peeled green prawns, however, a bag of frozen prawns is a great substitute when you need an emergency lunch or entrée. A 500g bag of peeled prawns served with crusty bread makes enough for 3 to 4 people. So easy it makes you realise you should never pay for garlic prawns.
GARLIC PRAWNS IN OIL
Ingredients
- 500g peeled green prawns, tails on, patted dry
- 80ml good olive oil
- 40g butter
- 8–10 garlic cloves, finely sliced, divided into two portions
- 60ml dry white wine
- Juice of half a lemon, plus wedges to serve
- ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- Salt flakes
- Toadted crusty bread or rolls or focaccia to serve
Method
- Preheat your oven to 200°C. Place a cast iron frypan in the oven while it heats.
- Pat the prawns dry with paper towel — this helps them colour rather than steam.
- Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven. Add the oil, butter, one portion of the sliced garlic and a pinch of salt. Return to the oven for 3–4 minutes until the butter is melted and the garlic is just beginning to turn golden.
- Add the prawns in a single layer. Return to the oven for 2 minutes.
- Add the white wine and the second portion of garlic. Stir and return to the oven for a further 1–2 minutes, until the prawns are just pink and opaque. Do not overcook — they continue cooking in the hot oil once removed.
- Remove from the oven. Squeeze over the lemon juice and stir through the chopped parsley.
- Serve immediately straight from the pan with lemon wedges and plenty of crusty bread for mopping up the oil.
Notes
Prawns: Fresh peeled green prawns are ideal. Frozen work well — defrost in the bag in cold water, then rinse, drain and pat very dry before cooking. Patting dry is important; wet prawns steam rather than colour.
Wine: A dry white such as chardonnay, sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. If you’d rather skip it, add an extra squeeze of lemon instead.
Garlic: Finely sliced gives you golden, slightly crispy bits in the oil — better texture than crushed or minced here.
Scaling up: This recipe doubles easily to 1kg for a crowd. Use a larger pan or two pans — don’t crowd the prawns or they’ll steam.
Serving: Also great over rice or tossed through pasta for a more substantial meal.
</div