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Chef Naeem’s Kitchen

Chef Naeem's Famous Garlic Butter Prawns

The dish our customers ask for by name. The technique is simple but unforgiving: a very hot pan, prawns that are bone dry, and butter added off the heat so it emulsifies into a glossy sauce rather than splitting into oil.

5.0 · 214 reviews

Naeemo's most requested recipe · Sample ratings until customer reviews are collected

Jump to ingredients
Giant prawns in garlic butter sauce in a cast iron pan with parsley and crusty bread
Preparation
10 min
Cooking
8 min
Servings
4 people
Difficulty
Easy

The story behind the dish

Naeem first cooked this for a table of six who arrived unannounced on a Friday evening. There were prawns, butter, garlic and half a lemon in the kitchen. Twenty years later it is still the recipe he is asked for most, and still the one he makes when there is nothing else in the house.

Ingredients

  • 800 g queen prawns, shell on, deveinedShop this
  • 120 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 small red chilli, finely sliced (optional)
  • A generous handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • Sea salt and cracked black pepper
  • 1 sourdough baguette, to serve

Equipment required

  • Heavy cast-iron or stainless steel pan
  • Tongs
  • Microplane or fine grater
  • Serving platter

Step-by-step method

  1. 1

    Dry the prawns

    Pat the prawns thoroughly dry with kitchen paper and season with salt. Moisture is the enemy of a sear — wet prawns steam and turn rubbery.

  2. 2

    Sear hard and fast

    Heat the olive oil in the pan until it shimmers. Add the prawns in a single layer and sear for 90 seconds per side until the shells turn a deep coral and the edges catch. Remove to a plate.

  3. 3

    Bloom the garlic

    Lower the heat to medium. Add the sliced garlic and chilli and cook for 45 seconds until fragrant and pale gold — never brown, or the sauce turns bitter.

  4. 4

    Build the butter sauce

    Take the pan off the heat. Add the lemon juice, then whisk in the cold butter a few cubes at a time until you have a glossy, slightly thickened sauce.

  5. 5

    Return and coat

    Return the prawns and any resting juices to the pan and toss for 30 seconds to warm through and coat. Fold through the parsley and lemon zest off the heat.

  6. 6

    Serve immediately

    Tip everything onto a warm platter, spoon over the pan sauce, and serve with torn crusty bread. Eat with your hands.

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Chef’s tips

  • Cold butter, off the heat. This is the entire secret to a sauce that emulsifies instead of splitting.
  • Cook shell on — the shells carry enormous flavour into the butter.
  • Never crowd the pan. Sear in two batches if you must; steamed prawns cannot be rescued.

Storage advice

Best eaten immediately. If you must store, refrigerate for up to 24 hours and reheat gently in a covered pan over low heat with a splash of water.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use frozen prawns?
Yes. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then dry them exceptionally well. Frozen prawns carry extra water that will stop them searing.
Should I devein the prawns?
For large queen prawns, yes. Slit the back of the shell with scissors and lift the tract out — it also lets the butter reach the flesh.
How do I stop the butter splitting?
Remove the pan from the heat before adding butter, add it cold and in stages, and keep the pan moving.

Nutritional information

Estimated values per serving. Actual values vary with portion size and ingredients.

Energy
365 kcal
Protein
34 g
Fat
24 g
Carbohydrate
3 g
Sodium
780 mg

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