Garlic Butter Prawns

Cold Storage sells ready-made garlic butter made with these ingredients:
... vegetable oil
... butter (13%)
... water
... garlic (9%)
... parsley
... salt
... emulsifiers (492, 471 & B22)
... flavours
... vitamins (A & D3)
... colour (160a)
... antioxidants (306 & 320)

If each emulsifier and antioxidant is counted separately, there are 15 ingredients in total. Ironically, the brand name for the tub of emulsified vegetable oil is True Blue. True blue what? It sure ain't garlic butter since almost 80% of the contents is neither garlic nor butter. And I really don't need all those preservatives that are labeled as antioxidants.

The garlic butter I make comprises three ingredients: garlic, butter and parsley. Some people like to add Parmesan cheese but I prefer mine without. When push comes to shove, I can leave out the parsley, then the garlic butter would be made with – surprise! – garlic and butter.

See the Garlic Zoom in the photo? You put peeled garlic in the see-through container, then roll it for the blades to chop up the garlic. Gosh, what's wrong with a knife and chopping board? The complex gadget apparently doesn't even work well 'cause the garlic gets stuck, and the va va vroom wheels leave paint marks – or burn marks? – on the kitchen top. Looks cool, though. Love the touch of lime green.

Cooking doesn't have to be complicated. There's no need for special tools or ready-made anything. Garlic butter is a perfect example of how two ingredients, simply prepared and simply cooked, can be really good when the match is right. It's delicious on bread, and it makes even snails taste good. Prawns fried in garlic butter? It's so yummy I lick the plate clean every time.

GARLIC BUTTER PRAWNS (Recipe for 2-4 persons) 16 prawns, about 400 g 60 g unsalted butter 2 tbsp packed finely chopped garlic ½ tsp salt 2 tbsp packed finely chopped parsley squeeze of lemon juice Trim legs and feelers from prawns. Devein, wash and dry well with paper towels. If your pan isn't big enough to fry prawns in a single layer, cook in 2 batches. Add butter to a moderately hot frying pan over medium-low heat. When butter is bubbling nicely, add garlic. Stir to mix well. Add prawns one by one. Lay them out so that you can tell which ones will be cooked and turned over first. Let prawns fry without stirring. Sprinkle half of salt on prawns. Lower heat if necessary so that garlic and butter do not burn. As bottom of each prawn is cooked, turn it over. Sprinkle with remaining salt. Remove prawns one by one as they are cooked. Garlic should be nicely golden when prawns are ready. Turn off heat. Add parsley and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly. Drizzle mixture over prawns. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately.

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