Thomasina Miers presents two indulgent Spanish summer recipes: grilled prawns with red rice and allioli, and boozy baked peaches with amaretti biscuits and cold custard. These dishes evoke memories of Mexico and coastal Spain, offering a satisfying lunch that transports diners to faraway places.
Grilled Prawns with Red Rice and Allioli
This showstopper dish is surprisingly straightforward to prepare. It serves 4-6 and requires 10 minutes of prep and 1 hour 10 minutes of cooking. Ingredients include 400g medium-sized very ripe tomatoes, 1 red chilli, 1 red pepper, 100ml olive oil, 4 garlic cloves (2 whole, 2 finely chopped), 400g deveined prawns with heads and shells on, salt, pepper, 1 tbsp chipotle en adobo plus 1 heaped tsp, 1 tbsp sherry vinegar plus 1 tsp, 1 large red onion, ½ fennel bulb, 1 large pinch saffron, 400g short-grain rice, 250g good-quality mayonnaise, 180g fresh or frozen peas, and chopped chives or parsley for garnish.
Start by dry-toasting the tomatoes, chilli, and red pepper in a frying pan over high heat for 10-12 minutes until blackened. Transfer the tomatoes and chilli to a blender, then continue charring the pepper until blackened, covering it in clingfilm. In a large paella pan or frying pan, heat a few tablespoons of oil and the whole garlic cloves until golden. Add the prawns, season, and sauté for 4-5 minutes until coloured on all sides. Remove the prawn heads and add them to the blender with 1 tbsp chipotle and 1 tbsp sherry vinegar; blitz to a puree, then add 500ml boiling water and blend again. Set the prawns and garlic aside.
In the same pan, sweat the onion and fennel in remaining oil over medium heat for 10 minutes until translucent. Add the chopped garlic and saffron, cook for a few minutes, then stir in the rice. Pour in the tomato and shrimp stock, season with salt, and cook uncovered over medium heat for 18 minutes without stirring. Meanwhile, peel and deseed the pepper, cutting it into thin strips. Place a quarter of the strips in the blender with the mayonnaise, reserved sautéed garlic, remaining chipotle, and remaining sherry vinegar; blitz and adjust seasoning.
Tip the peas onto the rice and arrange the pepper strips in a pattern. Cover and cook for another 12 minutes on the stove or in a 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 oven. In the last 2-3 minutes, return the prawns to the rice with their juices without stirring. Serve garnished with herbs and the allioli on the side, accompanied by a crisp green salad.
Baked Peaches, Amaretti and Cold Custard
This dessert serves 6 and requires overnight chilling. Prep time is 10 minutes, with 1 hour of cooking. Ingredients include 6 large ripe peaches (halved and stoned), 100ml chardonnay or chenin blanc, 4 tbsp soft brown sugar, ½ tsp finely ground green cardamom seeds, and 6 amaretti biscuits (optional). For the custard: 600ml double cream, 1 vanilla pod (split and seeds scraped) or 1 tsp vanilla extract, 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk, 60g unrefined caster sugar, and 1 tbsp amaretto.
To make the custard, heat the cream with the vanilla pod and seeds (or extract) in a saucepan over medium heat until shimmering but not boiling. Remove from heat and infuse. Whisk the eggs, yolk, and caster sugar until light and fluffy, then whisk in the amaretto. Pour the infused cream into the eggs while whisking, then return to the pan over low heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture reaches 88C on a thermometer, then remove from heat. Strain through a fine sieve into a clean bowl, cool for 10-15 minutes, then blend with a stick blender until smooth. Pour into individual glasses or bowls and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7. Arrange the peaches cut side up in a roasting tin, pour over the wine, sprinkle with sugar and cardamom, and roast for 20-25 minutes until golden. Serve the peaches with the cold custard, a splash more amaretto, and crumbled amaretti biscuits on top.
