Garlic prawns- Who feels like a pile of juicy, plump prawns with lemon garlic butter? It is my favorite way to prepare prawns. It’s quick and easy to make but never fails to please. What is the secret ingredient? White wine. It’s all about the white wine.
What you need to make Garlic Prawns
What you need. White wine is the key ingredient that makes this dish so special.
You can use any white wine. Even sweet white wines will work. Rose and champagne are also fantastic!
How do you make garlic prawns?
It’s a 6-minute recipe, so be sure to have everything ready and in the pan!
- If you have the time, marinate prawns for 20 minutes with a tablespoon of olive oil, pepper, and salt. Do not marinate the prawns for more than 20 minutes, as the salt can make the flesh watery.
- No Garlic I used to marinate the prawns in garlic, thinking that it would give them a garlic flavor. It doesn’t. It’s not possible with a marinating period of only a few hours. You do end up having little bits of burnt garlic!
- Now, I only add the garlic halfway through the cooking process to prevent it from burning. The garlic flavor is better when the result is better!
- Sear the prawns in batches- Heat one tablespoon of olive oil on high heat in a large, nonstick pan. Place half of the prawns into the pan and sear both sides for 45 seconds. Use tongs to turn each prawn individually.
- Then, sear the remaining prawns on both sides for 45 seconds.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Fewer prawns equal better color, easier to handle, and less likely to overcook.
- Garlic: Add the garlic to the pan after returning the first batch of prawns.
- Add the wine. It will sizzle when it hits the hot pan. This is good! This means that it will reduce quickly (30 seconds), which is what we are looking for (fast cook = juicy Prawns).
- Butter Once the wine is mostly evaporated, stir the pan and add the butter.
- Parsley- Once the butter is melted, toss in the parsley and then place the prawns with the butter sauce on a plate.
- Serve straight away, freshly prepared!
Tips for the BEST Garlic Prawns
- CHOP the garlic. Do not use a press. A garlic press is a finer and more juicy garlic, which will burn when cooked at high heat.
- Frozen is great, too! Five years ago, this is something I would never have said. There are now very high-quality frozen prawns. Choose large, plump frozen prawns – these are best when used frozen.
- Use dry prawns, especially when using frozen prawns that have been thawed. Wet prawns won’t get the golden sear you want in the time it takes to cook them and will end up as stewed prawns.
- Fast Cook Overcooked prawns become rubbery, hard, and dry. They are not juicy or plump. The medium to large prawns can be cooked in 3 minutes.
- Do not crowd the pan – cook in batches! A crowded pan will result in stewed prawns instead of seared. For maximum flavor, we want to burn. Color = flavor! Cook half of the prawns, remove them, and then cook the rest. It is also easier to cook fewer prawns, i.e., turn them one by one.
- Large pan, high heat to cook the prawns and give them a nice seared;
- Do not use a spatula, but tongs. Turn each prawn separately.
- Butter + Oil – butter adds flavor but burns when heated. We use butter and Oil to counteract that. To sear the meat, use Oil. Then, add butter to give it a sauce flavor.
- The wine will SIZZLE, and then STEAM. Pour the wine into a super hot pan so it will sizzle and evaporate quickly (less than 30 seconds). You’ll lose flavor if you let your prawns sit in wine.
- The 6-minute rule: This should only take 6 minutes to cook. If you cook the prawns for any longer, they will be overcooked.
- Seafood likes lemon. Use lemon generously. I cook garlic prawns and add a medium amount of lemon to it. I also serve extra wedges so people can serve themselves.
Ingredients
- 500g (or 1lb) of prawns, deveined and peeled with the tail on.
- ▢ 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- ▢ Black pepper, 1/2 tsp
- ▢ 3 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oils (separated).
- ▢ Use a knife to mince the garlic (not a crusher/miner).
GARLIC BUTTER SAUCE
- Note 2: Cut the 40g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter into cubes of 1.5cm (1/2″)
- 1/4 cup chardonnay (or other white dry wine)
- Lemon juice, 1 tbsp
- 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley (garnish).
SERVING
- Lemon wedges
- Bread for mopping?
Instructions
- Marinade: Place the prawns in a bowl with one tablespoon of olive oil, pepper, and salt. Gently toss, then leave aside for 20 minutes. (No longer, or the prawns may sweat due to the salt).
COOKING
- Sear the prawns in batches. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large, nonstick pan on high heat. Place half of the prawns into the pan, then sear both sides for 45 seconds using tongs.
- Remove and repeat: Remove the prawns to a plate. Heat one tablespoon of oil on each side. Cook for 45 seconds.
- Return the first batches of prawns to the pan.
- Garlic: Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the wine. It will sizzle and steam! Stirring and scraping the bottom until the wine has mostly evaporated – about 30 seconds.
- Butter & lemon: Scatter butter across the pan, and add lemon juice. Butter in the pan, swirling it around until it melts. Then, add the parsley.
- Serve: Transfer all of the butter sauce and the prawns onto a serving platter. Serve with additional lemon wedges. Try this easy Crusty Artisan bread for mopping.