- 1/4 cup olive oil (use a good quality one, it’s worth it)
- 3 to 4 pounds of fresh spot prawns
- Salt, to taste
- 4 to 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped or thinly sliced
- 1 or 2 small hot chiles, thinly sliced (optional, for a little heat)
Juice of a charred lemon (cut a lemon in half, char it over a gas burner or sear cut-side down in a cast iron pan until slightly blackened)
If you’ve got a bottle of dry white wine open, feel free to add a splash of that to deglaze the pan before serving! But not to worry my dears, if you don’t have any open and don’t feel like opening a bottle, you’ll be just fine without.
Step 1: Heat the Oil
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat until it just begins to smoke.
Step 2: Add the Prawns
Add the spot prawns to the pan and toss to coat them evenly in the oil.
Step 3: Season and Cook
Add the garlic, chiles, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook over high heat, stirring or tossing occasionally, until the prawns just turn pink, about 2 minutes.
Step 4: Finish with Lemon
Remove the pan from the heat and drizzle the charred lemon juice over the prawns. Give everything a quick toss to combine.
Step 5: Serve Simply
Serve immediately with some crusty bread on the side to soak up the garlicky oil.
This recipe works best with fresh, local prawns, but it’s adaptable for whatever you have on hand. Keep it simple and let the ingredients shine—it’s all about good food without the fuss. Enjoy!
