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Gambas al ajillo (Garlic Prawns) are one of the most popular tapas dishes in Lanzarote.  The dish is simple to prepare and is full of amazing flavour, and if you love garlic and you love prawns then this is the dish for you.  Fresh prawns are the most important thing for this recipe (frozen and pre-cooked just won’t be the same).

This recipe serves 4:-

32 Prawns (8 Prawns per person)

5 to 10 large cloves of Garlic, minced.

1 teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika

2 Gundillas, or dried cayenne chilli peppers.

A dash of dry sherry

Extra virgin olive oil to completely cover the prawns.

2 teaspoons of chopped parsley

Juice squeezed from half a lemon

French stick to serve

1: Peel and devein the prawns

2: In an earthenware dish, heat the oil over a medium heat and then add the chillies and garlic. Fry them for a couple of minutes taking care not to burn. If the garlic burns, then discard the oil and start again.

3: Turn the heat up to high and add the prawns, Lemon juice, paprika and dry sherry. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the prawns turn pink.

4: Remove from the heat and sprinkle with parsley, splash the oil with some iced water causing the prawns to sizzle and immediately cover with an upturned dinner plate.

5: Serve immediately – guests will be impressed with the sizzling prawns when you remove the dinner plate at the table.

6: Allow everyone to help themselves and ensure that there is plenty of bread to mop up the leftover garlic oil.