How do I know when prawns are cooked?

There are a few ways to tell when these buttered garlic prawns are cooked. The most obvious is their colour which will turn from a translucent/grey to a blushing pink colour. You will also see that the tail starts to curl slightly into a ‘C’ shape (be aware - if it curls too much, it is overcooked). The texture will feel slightly firmer, not soft and squishy like a raw prawn.

How do I avoid rubbery prawns?

Watch really closely and avoid overcooking! That's the key. Prawns are one of those foods that require your attention while they cook, so don’t be tempted to wander off and do other bits and bobs. You really need to keep an eye out for all the signs above and remove the pan from the heat as soon as you notice them. If the prawns curl right round to an ‘O’ shape, or the texture becomes very firm, they have gone too far and are overcooked.

What can I serve with these buttered garlic prawns?

There are so many ways to enjoy these buttered garlic prawns. They are delicious tapas or mezze style with other Mediterranean small plates. Alternatively, serve them for a main course with fluffy rice which will absorb that beautiful garlic butter. Any rice will do - I like jasmine or basmati best. You don’t even have to cook your own - those microwavable pouches are ideal for a super quick 10 minute meal. For an even speedier supper (or lunch), simply serve with warm crusty bread. Perfect for mopping up every last morsel. These buttered garlic prawns are also delicious tossed through pasta - spaghetti or linguine work really well. Then finish with a generous grating of Parmesan or pecorino and dive in! Sometimes I use them as a topping to make other dishes extra special. For example, they are incredible spooned over my risotto di zucchini .

Can you make these buttered garlic prawns in advance?

I wouldn't recommend it. These buttered garlic prawns are best enjoyed straight away as the prawns become rubbery when you reheat them. However, they take literally minutes to make. To speed it up further, you can prep all the other ingredients earlier in the day, like chop the garlic and the herbs so that it's even quicker to assemble.

How can I store leftovers?

As mentioned, these really are best fresh but any leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for a day. I would eat them cold (or room temperature - remove from the fridge 20-30 minutes before eating) as then it maintains the texture. Reheating them makes them rubbery and overcooked.

Buttered Garlic Prawns

Name: Buttered Garlic Prawns
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 350g shelled deveined raw king prawns; ½ tsp flaky sea salt; Freshly ground black pepper; 1 tsp sweet paprika; ½ lemon, juice and zest; Olive oil; 80g unsalted butter; 4-5 garlic cloves, crushed; 2 tbsp freshly chopped flat leaf parsley, from the leaves (use stems below); About ½ tsp dried chilli flakes (optional); Small bunch of parsley, stems only; 1 garlic clove; 1/2 large red chilli; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Buttered Garlic Prawns

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These buttered garlic prawns are my all-time favourite way to cook prawns. They are utterly delicious AND take less than 10 minutes. Imagine plump and juicy prawns bathing in gloriously garlicky butter. So simple, yet so good.

Author: Margie Nomura
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: Serves 3-4 (depending on sides) 1x
Category: Seafood & Fish
Method: Pan-frying
Cuisine: Spanish

Ingredients

Scale

For the buttered garlic prawns:

350g shelled deveined raw king prawns
½ tsp flaky sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp sweet paprika
½ lemon, juice and zest
Olive oil
80g unsalted butter
4-5 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp freshly chopped flat leaf parsley, from the leaves (use stems below)
About ½ tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)

Herby green sauce, to serve (optional):

Small bunch of parsley, stems only
1 garlic clove
1/2 large red chilli
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar

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Instructions

Begin by butterflying the prawns: run a sharp knife down the back of the prawn and gently open out slightly. Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be perfect - you just want to give them more surface area.
Pat the prawns dry on some kitchen paper, then add to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the paprika and toss gently to coat. Add a glug of oil and add the zest of 1/2 lemon. Set aside.
For the herby sauce: add all the ingredients to a blender with a good pinch of salt and crack of pepper. Blend until smooth.
Add the butter to a large non-stick frying pan and set over medium heat (if you don’t have a large enough pan, cook in batches). Swirl until melted and sizzling. Add the garlic and sauté for about a minute, stirring to ensure it doesn’t catch and burn. You don’t want the garlic to take on any colour.
Add the prawns to the hot butter and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally, or until they turn pink. Watch closely as you don’t want them to overcook or they will become rubbery.
Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice, to taste. Sprinkle in the chopped parsley and dried chilli flakes, to taste, then stir to coat.
Spoon into bowls and serve with your choice of side (see Notes).

Notes

To store: these buttered garlic prawns are best to serve straight away but any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a day.

To reheat: I would eat the leftover prawns cold (well, room temp - remove from fridge 20-30 minutes before eating) as then you avoid overcooking when reheating.

To freeze: I don’t recommend freezing these buttered garlic prawns as, sadly, the texture changes during defrosting and reheating.

Butterflied prawns: I always recommend butterflying prawns. I think it makes a big difference to the taste and texture as they have more surface area. They don’t have to look perfect and it only takes a few minutes.

Large frying pan: it is really important not to overcrowd the frying pan or the buttered garlic prawns will stew and not sear (and searing gives the best flavour). If your pan isn’t big enough, simply cook in batches.

Paprika: I use sweet paprika in this buttered garlic prawns recipe as it has a subtly sweet, mild flavour. However, it is also delicious with smoked paprika if you prefer a smokier flavour.

White wine: you can add a splash of white wine to the hot pan about 1 minute after adding the prawns. It will steam and bubble off, infusing the prawns with extra flavour.

Serving suggestions: the buttered garlic prawns are delicious as part of a mezze/tapas spread or with a side as a main meal. You want something that will soak up all the delicious garlicky, buttery juices. Fluffy rice or good quality warm crusty bread is ideal. Alternatively, toss through pasta.

Find it online: https://desertislanddishes.co/buttered-garlic-prawns/