Gambas pil pil

One for the garlic lovers, king prawns are coated in smoked paprika and cooked hard and fast in a heavenly garlic and chilli oil. Best served with slices of focaccia to help mop up all those juices.

Gambas pil pil – otherwise known as shrimp in garlic oil – holds a special place in my heart as it was one of the tapas dishes I cooked as part of my first private catering gig.

A last-minute request for it meant I had to make it up on the fly, but it was such a hit that I’ve probably made it a dozen times for friends and family. Possibly more.

It’s supposed to be for sharing, but I’m yet to meet a seafood lover who couldn’t devour a whole bowl of the prawns on their own.

Go easy on the chilli, but hard on the garlic and smoked paprika to evoke the flavours of Spain.

Be sure to reserve the prawn heads and shells and add them to the pan to inject as much flavour into the sauce as you can. It’s so good you’ll want some focaccia or crusty bread to help mop up all those juices.

How To Make Gambas Pil Pil

• Chef Catling’s recipe notes
• Recipe: Gambas pil pil
• Frequently asked questions

Tips & Notes To Know

• Avoid pre-cooked prawns: They turn rubbery and shrivel up when reheated in the sauce.
• Frozen seafood does not mean inferior: Frozen prawns are not only cheaper than fresh, but they are often better quality as they are frozen soon after being caught or harvested. To cook with, simply thaw the prawns in the fridge or under cold running water. Just remember to pat dry with kitchen roll before pan-frying, otherwise they’ll steam, rather than colour.
• Devein your prawns: It’s a bit of a faff, but it is worth removing the dark vein on the back of the prawn as it can taste gritty or bitter if left in.
• Add a touch of sherry: For a deeper, more complex flavour, you can add a splash of Spanish sherry (like dry Fino) to the oil after cooking the prawns. It adds a lovely richness to the garlic and chilli sauce.
• Serve as a main meal: While gambas pil pil is traditionally served as a tapas dish, you can easily turn it into a main course with a side of rice or pasta.

Gambas pil pil

Serves: 2 Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 5 mins 5 mins

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Ingredients

8 raw king prawns, heads on
3 tbsp olive oil
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, 1 crushed, 2 finely sliced
1/2 heaped tsp smoked paprika
1 lemon, 1/2 juiced, 1/2 cut into wedges
1 tsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

To serve
Focaccia bread, cut into slices

Instructions

Step 1
Peel the prawns, leaving the tails on and reserving half the shells and heads (use the rest to make my scallops with parsnip purée, chorizo crumb and prawn oil recipe).

Step 2
Devein the prawns and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the prawn heads and shells. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes to flavour the oil, pushing down on the heads to extract as much flavour as possible. Remove the shells and heads and discard.  

Step 3
Add the red chilli and grated garlic to the oil and leave to sizzle for 30 seconds, stirring occasionally to stop it from burning.

Step 4
Add the prawns, smoked paprika and garlic slices and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until the prawns start to turn pink. Squeeze in the lemon juice to taste and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until the prawns are cooked through, then remove the pan from the heat and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with focaccia and lemon wedges on the side.  

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Buy Sustainable Prawns?

Look for the Marine Stewardship Council Certification (MSC). The label identifies fish and seafood that has been caught in a sustainable way.

The best choices are updated every six months on mcsuk.org. You will usually see the blue tick logo on the packaging. If you can’t see it, ask your fishmonger.

How Do I Stop Prawns From Overcooking And Shrivelling Up?

Prawns curl up because of muscle contractions on their abdomen. To prevent this, make two tiny incisions – about 1/4 inch deep – with a sharp knife on the underside of each prawn.

The safe internal temperature of a cooked prawn is 63C, as per the USDA, but that’s really just a reference. Your best indicator for whether a prawn is fully cooked or not is colour. A raw prawn is translucent grey, but when it is cooked it turns opaque white with tinges of pink and orange.