Gambas al Pil-Pil Recipe

Gambas al pil-pil, or 'chilli prawns', are Spanish tapas defined: simple, quick and delicious. Fat pink prawns swimming in a bowl of olive oil infused with fresh chillis and garlic - these are made to be shared and fought over.

Funnily enough, this is a dish I first discovered not in La Coruña or Las Palmas but in Liverpool.

It was 2009 and I was a student in the city. Liverpool - home of the legendary Beatles, Scousers and Liverpool Football Cub - was experiencing what could be fairly described as a love affair with all things Spanish owing to the rise of 'Spanish Liverpool', the nickname given to Liverpool FC under the totemic manager Rafa Benitez and the influx of brilliant Spanish players at that time such as Xabi Alonso, Pepe Reina and Fernando Torres. The local Scousers - and yours truly, I admit - embraced the Spanish cultural revolution with gusto. The football songs took on Spanish themes. Paella pans were suddenly being found in Merseyside kitchens. And tapas bars and restaurants sprung up across the city. Nike even parodied the events in a famous advert featuring Fernando Torres. It was a great time to be living in the city, especially for a foodie.

Gambas al pil-pil is a chef and crowd favourite for a reason. Not least because it hits the high notes for taste and takes almost no time to cook. Make sure to have some crusty bread handy to mop up any leftover oil. "Gracias, mate!"

Ingredients (2-3 people)

250g fresh prawns (10-12 prawns)

2-3 garlic cloves (roughly chopped)

1 large red chilli (roughly chopped)

Handful of fresh parsley (chopped)

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Preparation (10min)

1. Peel and devein all the prawns (instructions below). Rinse thoroughly and pat dry.

2. Heat 3-4 tbs of olive oil in a pan on medium-high. Gently fry the chilli and garlic until soft but not brown or crispy (2min).

3. Add the prawns and fry until pink (2min on each side). Add the parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Peeling and deveining fresh shrimp: Hold the shrimp by the tail in one hand and gently twist the head off with the other. Don't be alarmed at the orangey gunk that comes out - this will be washed off later. Peel back the legs and the shell finishing with the tail (optional: leave the tail on). Use a sharp knife to make a small slit the length of the spine and remove the brown tube-like vein. Rinse the shrimp thoroughly.

TIP 1: Use fresh prawns whenever possible. The results are so much better than when using cooked or frozen (if you do simply adjust cooking times).

TIP 2: When cooking with seafood it is very important to avoid cross-contamination. Prepare the seafood separately from other ingredients and wash utensils and surfaces immediately after using. You can also use a bowl to put waste in and avoid trips to the bin.

TIP 3: Set aside shrimp heads and shell to make a simple stock. This is great for adding depth of flavour to any seafood dish.

TIP 4: After chopping chillis, rub your fingers with lemon to neutralise the heat. Your eyes will thank you later!