Prawns Cooked On Salt
Starter/Sides/Snacks
Feeds 6-8
Cook Time: 15 Mins
Difficulty: Easy
I picked this technique up when reading Nieves Barragan’s book, Sabor. She’s the Head Chef at the Micelin starred Spanish restaurant, Sabor.
I tried this once - this is now my go to whenever I am cooking prawns! Its unbelievable!
If you can cook them with the shells on. The shells protect the delicious, sweet flesh keeping it extra juicy and help add extra flavour - you will have to excuse the picture, I must have had supply chain issues……..
Use a good quality rock or sea salt - this makes all the difference. I cannot recommend Droitwich Salt enough for this - it’s such a delicious clean salt. It gives the prawns such a unique and pure seasoning - really helping to let the prawny-ness shine through!
It might seem like a lot of salt - it is! But you aren’t eating that salt - the prawn will only take up the seasoning it needs - but as the salt also acts as a barrier for the cooking process you get a much deeper and more even seasoning - it all adds to the flavour. And after you are done, cool the salt and store it for next time - or use it as an intense prawn salt to season things! Delicious!
Prawns are such a great starting point to cooking delicate things, like fish. They change colour as they cook - so you can physically see how cooked they are - really helps to gauge the cooking and make sure you don't over cook them.
My final tip with this one - don’t waste the heads - suck those bad boys dry - the most intense flavour is in there. After cooking, once your taken the heads off, suck them from the neck end whilst gently squeezing - all the delicious juices! Magic!
INGREDIENTS:
12-16 King Prawns, Shell On (defrosted if necessary)
Enough Sea/Rock Salt to cover the base of a griddle or frying pan to 3-5mm deep
Dressing:
1 Lemon, juice and zest
2 Cloves Garlic
2-3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Bread for mopping!
METHOD:
Using a griddle pan or large based frying pan, evenly spread the salt so it forms an even layer across the base of the pan approximately 3-5mm thick - or to just about level with the bars on a griddle pan!
Turn the heat on medium-high and allow to salt to heat - you should feel the warmth when you place your hand around 5cm above the salt
Once hot, lay the prawns on to the bed of salt and leave to cook for 3-4 minutes. The prawns will change colour and turn from grey to pink.
When the pink colour reaches half way up the prawn or just above it, turn the prawn over and cook for another 3-4 minutes until cooked through
Meanwhile, roughly chop the garlic and add to a bowl with the lemon juice, zest and olive oil and mix well
Once the prawns are cooked, place into the bowl with the dressing and coat
Serve however you wish but make sure you’ve got plenty of kitchen roll or finger bowls ready - it’s going to get deliciously messy!
These go great with some aioli or some garlic mayo. Sweet chilli, classic marie rose sauce - it’s all good! Enjoy them however you usually enjoy your prawns!
Make sure you also have some bread on hand - trust me, you are going to want to mop up all the juices!!!
