Summertime Prawn Dish
I ate a wonderful dish the other day in a lovely family run Mediterranean eatery in Esher. Gambas Pil Pil is one of those evocative dishes that transports me instantly to Spain - balmy, long evenings, ice cold cervezas, incredible food eaten under a dark wide sky. It really doesn't get much more pure than prawns, garlic, oil and chilli - pungent and aromatic, filling and flavourful, this is southern Spain on a plate (if you can avoid the fish fingers and chips or chicken curry!). This, for me, is a true taste of Spanish cooking - it's so uncomplicated, relying on great ingredients, cooked with passion and skill. It might be culinary blasphemy, but for me, the addition of some aromatic coriander seeds and a splash of tart lime juice were just what I was in the mood for.
Feeds one hungry soul
- 125g cooked large prawns
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- knob of butter
- olive oil
- 1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Gently scrunch up the coriander seeds in a pestle and mortar - not to powder, but just so they open slightly. Put them into a pan over a medium heat. When they start to become aromatic add the butter, garlic, chilli and oil to the pan. Swirl everything around together, and when the mixture starts to foam add the prawns. Leave them for a few minutes to sizzle, then pour into a serving dish and squeeze over the juice of the lime. You might need more - some just don't have much juice. Serve with some crusty bread to dunk into the spicy, garlicky butter.
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