Gambas al Ajillo

Ingredients

• 500g raw prawns, peeled and deveined
• 120ml extra virgin olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 dried guindilla chillies, sliced into rings
• 1/2 tsp sweet pimenton
• 2 tbsp dry fino sherry
• 1 small handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Flaky sea salt
• Crusty bread to serve

Before you cook

• Peel and devein the prawns, leaving the tails on if you like.
• Pat the prawns thoroughly dry on kitchen paper and salt them lightly.
• Slice the garlic as thinly as you can, aiming for translucent slivers.
• Slice the dried chillies into rings and shake out most of the seeds.
• Chop the parsley finely.

Steps

1. Pour the olive oil into a shallow earthenware cazuela or small frying pan and set it over medium-low heat.
2. Add the sliced garlic and chilli rings to the oil while it is still cold.
3. Warm the oil slowly for 3 to 4 minutes until the garlic just begins to turn a pale straw colour and the kitchen smells sweet.
4. Turn the heat up to medium-high.
5. Tip in the prawns in a single layer and spread them out.
6. Cook for 60 seconds without moving them.
7. Turn every prawn over with tongs and cook for another 45 seconds until they have just curled into loose Cs.
8. Take the pan off the heat and sprinkle in the pimenton.
9. Pour in the sherry and swirl the pan for 20 seconds to burn off the raw alcohol.
10. Scatter over the parsley and a pinch of flaky salt.
11. Serve immediately in the hot pan with plenty of bread for mopping the oil.