Everybody's favorite: Prawns in Spicy Garlic Oil

The prawns in garlicky oil were the first recipe on my seattlecookingspree.net website. I posted it at the very beginning of 2009 and three and half years later it's still a big hit. Whenever and wherever I make it. Every single time! 

 So here it is again, reposted from my website just like it was in 2009:

Let me don’t waste words here: these prawns are absolutely delicious, period. Still, it surprises me every time how quickly they disappear from the table, leaving just little red tails to remind of the minutes of their glory. But what surprises me most is how unbelievably easy they are to make.

From the early childhood, we’re taught that good things need effort and that no matter how hard we work, more often than not gratification should be delayed. These prawns prove all these wrong. They are minutes to make, require neither cooking skill nor much effort and the results are instant.

You will need:

• 2/3 cup Canola, grapeseed or other oil wth neutral flavor
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1lb prawns, count 21-25 or 25-30
• 5-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp chili flakes (more or less to your taste)
• Salt – to taste
• 1 Tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

Peel the prawns leaving tails on and reserving the shells for later use. Devein them by making an incision along the back of each prawn and pulling out the intestine, also known as “vein”. Dry the prawns between paper towels.

 

Heat the oil in a wide pan until very warm but not smoking hot. Add garlic and chili flakes and sauté stirring frequently for several seconds. Don’t let the garlic turn brown.

Add the prawns and sauté tossing until they become pink and start to curl. Sprinkle with salt and parsley. Transfer to a dish and serve right away.

The trick to perfectly cooked prawns is to take them from the heat while they are still a bit undercooked. Since you serve them in the same oil they are cooked in and it’s still very hot, the prawns keep on cooking even after being removed from the heat.

Make sure you have a couple of baguettes or ciabatta loaves. You will need lots of bread to dip up the delicious flavorful oil when you’re done with the prawns.

 

Comments

[bansi]

Girllll!!! You are amazing! Can I get your recipe for that mexican salad you made with the hearts of palm and avocado, which you made at Society a few months ago? I dream of the day when I can make that myself. I am cooking something from your site today. Amazing... love it.

[Tania]

Hey Bansi! Great to hear from you and thanks for the kind words!
I'll post the palm hearts and avocado salad later today or first thing tomorrow morning. See you next Wednesday at the Society lunch!