Tillie Doyle
Garlic prawns are a delicious dish that can be cooked in a cast-iron pot. This dish is perfect for a weeknight dinner as it is quick and easy to prepare and cook. The recipe typically includes prawns, garlic, butter, olive oil, and lemon, with some recipes suggesting the addition of white wine, parsley, and chilli. The key steps to cooking garlic prawns in a cast-iron pot include preparing the prawns by peeling them and removing the digestive tract, heating butter and oil in the pot, adding the prawns and cooking them for a few minutes on each side, and finally adding the remaining ingredients and cooking until the prawns are cooked through. The dish is often served with crusty bread to mop up the garlic butter sauce.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of dish | Starter or mixed through pasta |
| Main ingredients | Prawns, garlic, butter, olive oil, lemon, wine |
| Other ingredients | Parsley, chilli, lemon zest, pepper |
| Prawn preparation | Peel prawns, remove digestive tract |
| Marinade | Wine, garlic |
| Cooking time | 6 minutes |
| Marinating time | 20 minutes (optional) |
| Cooking method | Broiler/overhead grill, oven-safe dish or large frying pan |
| Serving suggestion | Bread for mopping up the sauce |
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What You'll Learn
How to prepare the prawns
Preparing prawns for a cast-iron pot garlic prawn recipe is simple, but there are a few steps to follow to ensure the best results. Firstly, decide whether to use fresh or frozen prawns. Frozen prawns can be successfully used, and they should be defrosted by rinsing them under cold water for around 5-10 minutes. Fresh prawns should be used if you plan to marinade them, as frozen prawns will not absorb much flavour during the short marinating time.
Once you have prepared your prawns, the next step is to peel them. You can leave the tail on or remove it, whichever you prefer. It is important to then devein the prawns. To do this, use a small, sharp knife to make a shallow incision down the back of the prawn, and then pull out the digestive tract.
If you wish to marinade your prawns, mix your chosen marinade and soak the prawns for around 20 minutes. You can then grill the prawns on skewers and heat up the marinade in your cast-iron pot. Alternatively, you can skip the marinating step and simply add the garlic during cooking to avoid it burning.
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How to prepare the cast iron pot
To prepare a cast-iron pot for cooking garlic prawns, start by gathering the necessary ingredients and utensils. You will need prawns, garlic, butter, oil, and any additional spices or ingredients of your choice, such as lemon, wine, or parsley. A sharp knife, tongs, and a cast-iron skillet or pot are also required.
Before cooking, prepare the prawns by peeling them and removing the digestive tract. You can leave the tail on or remove it, depending on your preference. To remove the digestive tract, use a small sharp knife to make a shallow incision along the back of the prawn, then pull out the black vein. Rinse the prawns under cold water if they are frozen.
Next, heat your cast-iron pot on a stovetop burner. Cast iron pots are ideal for cooking garlic prawns because they distribute heat evenly and retain high temperatures, producing a sizzling dish. Heat the pot over medium to high heat for best results.
Once the pot is heated, add butter and oil to create a cooking base. Use a tablespoon of butter and a healthy drizzle of oil to ensure the prawns don't stick to the pan. You can also add other ingredients like garlic or spices at this stage to infuse their flavors into the butter and oil.
After adding the prawns to the pot, cook them for approximately 2 minutes on each side. Adjust the heat as needed to avoid overcooking the prawns, which can happen quickly. Use tongs to carefully flip the prawns and ensure even cooking.
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How long to cook the prawns for
Cooking garlic prawns in a cast-iron pot is quick and easy. The total cooking time for garlic prawns is typically between 2 and 6 minutes, depending on the recipe and the number of prawns being cooked.
Firstly, you'll want to peel the prawns and remove the digestive tract. You can leave the tail on or take it off, whichever you prefer. To remove the digestive tract, use a small sharp knife to make a shallow incision down the back of the prawn, then pull out the black vein.
Once your prawns are prepared, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in your cast-iron pot over high heat. Place half of your prawns in the pot and sear each side for around 45 seconds, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Remove the first batch of prawns from the pot and set them aside, then sear the remaining prawns for another 45 seconds per side.
At this point, you can return the first batch of prawns to the pot and add your garlic. Toss everything together for about 30 seconds to a minute, being careful not to let the garlic burn. Finally, add a splash of white wine to the pot—this will sizzle and create a delicious sauce. Cook for another minute or so, until the prawns are opaque and cooked through.
Depending on your recipe, you may also want to add other ingredients like butter, lemon juice, or parsley at the end. Serve your garlic prawns with plenty of crusty bread for mopping up all that delicious garlic butter sauce!
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What to serve the prawns with
Garlic prawns cooked in a cast-iron pot are often served with crusty bread or sourdough to mop up the buttery garlic sauce. For a more filling meal, you could serve the prawns with mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta. For a lighter option, a fresh salad with a citrusy dressing can help to cut through the richness of the garlic prawns. If you're serving the prawns as a starter or as part of a tapas selection, a glass of fino sherry is a good pairing.
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Tips for the best garlic flavour
To get the best garlic flavour in your cast-iron pot prawns, there are several tips to keep in mind. Firstly, it is recommended to finely chop the garlic rather than using a garlic press or mincing it. While mincing or pressing garlic may seem convenient, it results in finer pieces that are more likely to burn at high temperatures. Burning garlic will negatively impact its flavour and the overall taste of your dish.
Another important tip is to add the garlic to the prawns during cooking rather than using it solely as a marinade. While marinating prawns with garlic might seem like a good way to infuse them with garlic flavour, it doesn't work well with short marinating times. Adding the garlic directly to the cast-iron pot during cooking ensures that the garlic flavour is better infused into the dish without burning.
Additionally, the type of garlic you use matters. Fresh garlic is always preferable, but if you don't have access to fresh cloves, frozen garlic is a suitable alternative. Simply defrost the frozen garlic by rinsing it under cold water for about 5 to 10 minutes before use. This way, you can still achieve a delicious garlic flavour in your prawns.
To enhance the garlic flavour even further, consider adding a splash of dry white wine to the cast-iron pot. The wine complements the garlic and elevates the overall taste of the dish. Just be cautious not to add too much wine, as it can overpower the other flavours.
Lastly, don't forget to serve your garlic prawns with bread! The juices from the prawns, garlic, and butter create a delicious sauce that is perfect for mopping up with a crusty loaf of sourdough or ciabatta. This not only completes the dish but also allows your diners to savour every last bit of that mouthwatering garlic flavour.
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Frequently asked questions
Marinate the prawns for 20 minutes. However, if you want to avoid bits of burnt garlic, you should add the garlic halfway through cooking the prawns.
You will need prawns, garlic, butter, olive oil, lemon, and white wine. You can also add parsley, chilli, and lemon zest.
First, heat butter and oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat. Then, add the prawns and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Next, add the remaining butter, oil, garlic, and other ingredients. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, turning the prawns occasionally, until they are cooked through.
Garlic prawns go well with crusty bread, such as sourdough or ciabatta, for dipping into the garlic butter sauce. You can also serve them with rice.
Garlic prawns are quite rich, so six prawns are usually enough for one person as part of a meal.
