20 mins
Garlic Prawns (Garlic Shrimp)
Recipe by Graham
Garlic Prawns (Garlic Shrimp) is one of those delicious recipes that is perfect as a starter if you are entertaining or as a light lunch for yourself and the family. High in protein and virtually fat free, shrimp is one of the most nutritious foods available And don't be shy with the garlic! Tons of crushed (minced) garlic is the order of the day for making gossip-worthy garlic prawns (shrimp). Anything less than six whole cloves for one pound of prawns and you can't call it "Garlic Prawns"!
Which reminds me, there's no formal definition between "prawn" and "shrimp". They are both large swimming crustaceans that tend to be called "prawns" in Britain and Commonwealth nations (one-third of the world's population) and "shrimp" in North America (about 7.5% of the world's population). In the UK prawn is more common on menus than shrimp, while the opposite is the case in the United States. The term prawn also loosely describes any large shrimp, especially those that come 15 (or fewer) to the pound (such as king prawns or jumbo shrimp).
Lesson over - let's eat!
Garam Masala 
German-style Potato Salad Ingredients for Garlic Prawns (Garlic Shrimp)
Currently displaying quantities in US Imperial Measurements
How to Cook Garlic Prawns (Garlic Shrimp)
- The key to garlic prawns is to get everything prepped and ready in advance because, to avoid overcooking your prawns, we are going to use a super-fast, high-heat cooking method. So to prepare, peel the prawns and remove the vein (if not already done). Peel and crush (mince) the garlic. Squeeze the juice from the lemon (you'll want about 3 tablespoons of juice). Chop the parsley - you need about one-third of a cup or ½oz (15g)
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy frying pan (skillet) over high heat until it just begins to smoke. As soon as you see a haze of smoke turn the heat down slightly and place the prawns in an even layer on the bottom of the pan and cook for 1 minute without stirring. Season the prawns with salt then cook, stirring, for about 1 minute until they begin to turn pink.
- Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes then cook, stirring, for another 1 minute. Stir in the lemon juice, 1½ teaspoons of cold butter, and half the parsley and stir well. Cook until the butter has melted (about 1 minute), then turn the heat right down to low and stir in the 1½ tablespoons of cold butter. Again, cook and stir until all the butter has melted and the shrimp are pink and opaque (about 1 to 2 minutes). At this point, the butter will have formed a thick sauce.
- Remove the prawns with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving dish. Continue to cook the butter sauce for about 2 minutes (adding water 1 teaspoon at a time if it's too thick). Season with salt to taste.
- Serve the prawns topped with the pan sauce and garnished with remaining chopped parsley. Unbelievably delicious, garlic prawns are great served over Boiled Rice or Creamed Potatoes or any plain pasta. They're also great on toast topped with the garlic-parsley-lemon sauce as a snack.
GRAHAM'S HOT TIP:
A little secret ingredient... If you have an open jar of capers in the fridge, add 1 tablespoon of the caper brine to the lemon juice. The difference is noticeable but no-one will ever work out what it is!
Serving a Spanish wine with garlic shrimp seems a no-brainer, but finding the right one ain't always easy. I've found that any sparkling white wine (even a fine Champagne) works well. If that's too hard on the pocket, Riesling is also recommended as fitting the bill.Reviews of Garlic Prawns (Garlic Shrimp)
 May 13 2014This recipe was wonderful. I often use lime juice instead of lemon and everyone loves it. I have made this many times now for parties, and people go crazy!!!! I also add a little extra butter and also add even more garlic, since my family loves lots of it!!! Thanks for a great recipe that is really easy! mona (5 reviews) |
 August 10 2013I actually marinated the prawns in a mixture of lemon and crushed garlic, then sauteed them in butter and garlic using the marinade to cook them in. It was excellent, but you maybe want to plan it for a moment when you are not planning getting close to someone!! ursula (2 reviews) |
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