Prawns are my absloute 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 mind set that I should be at work during the day so a long lunch is just that bit more special.
Garlic Prawns in Oil
Another really simple and quick to prepare 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 entre.
A one kilogram bag of peeled prawns with tails on served with crusty bread rolls makes enough for lunch for 5 or 6 people. You end up with far more prawns than you get in a serve in a restaurant. It is so easy that it makes you realise that you should never pay for garlic prawns.
I cook this in an ancient tall cast iron pot (I unsrew the wooden handle) that came with a wood fired rayburn stove I once had. I knew that eventually I would find a use for those pots other that using them for garden decorations.
It doesn’t need to be cooked in the oven but I always get better results as it is more difficult to overcook. You just need a pot that will cope with the hot oil in the oven or several cast iron bowls for individual serves.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg bag of frozen, peeled, green prawns (defrosted in the bag in water in the sink, rinsed and drained) or the equivalent quantity of peeled fresh green prawns.
- 8 – 10 cloves garlic – crushed and separated into two bowls
- 3/4 cup good olive oil
- 85g butter
- Chopped parsley – about 1/2 bunch
- lemons or limes
- Crusty bread or rolls
Preparation, Cooking and Serving:
- Put oil, butter, one pile of garlic and some salt into the pot and place in the oven at 200°C until it is bubbling. This indicates that it is pretty hot!
- Add the drained prawns and extra garlic, stir well and cook for about 5 minutes. Check by tasting once they start to colour up. I also add a few sliced limes or lemons to the oven to semi roast and heat the rolls at this time.
- Remove when cooked (no need to say that you need to be very careful as a cast iron pot full of hot oil would not be good running down your legs).
- Stir in chopped parsley, divide between bowls, add some sliced lime/lemon and serve. This can also be served with rice for a more substantial main course.