Iberia on the grill – when garlic and the sea meet
If you are looking for wine with food in its most uncomplicated, joyful form, you will find it here. Grilled king prawns with homemade aioli and crusty baguette are not an elaborate recipe – they are a philosophy. The philosophy of Spanish and Portuguese coastal cuisine, which has known for centuries that the best thing about the sea is the sea itself: fresh prawns, good garlic, the best olive oil, a lemon wedge and white bread. The right wine pairing for this dish must have the same directness as the dish itself: no complicated wine, no wood, no opulence. A Verdejo from Rueda – fresh, aromatic, with grapefruit and fennel – is the Spanish answer to a Spanish dish, and it is completely convincing. The aioli is not a dip here, but the protagonist: creamy, intensely garlicky, with an olive oil emulsion that prolongs every bite of the grilled crustacean. The baguette is the tool with which nothing is left on the plate.
Ideal wine pairing: DO Rueda Verdejo (Castile-León, Spain)
From the windswept plateaus of Castile, where sandstone soils and an extremely continental climate with hot days and cool nights give Verdejo its unique aromatic intensity, comes a white wine of sparkling freshness and distinct personality. Aromas of grapefruit, white peach, fennel, fresh grass and a hint of aniseed meet a lively, almost aggressive acidity and an invigorating bitterness on the finish – a wine that does not hide behind modesty. This expressivity is the first key to the pairing: the grapefruit and fennel aromatics of the Verdejo meet the iodine-salty depth of the prawns in a direct, Iberian way, and its lively acidity cuts through the greasy creaminess of the aioli with precision, instantly restoring freshness and appetite after every bite. The natural bitterness of the Verdejo in the finish corresponds with the garlic spice of the aioli in a surprisingly harmonious way – both are intense, both direct, both of an honest strength. On the palate, it is medium-bodied and pleasantly long. Served cool (8-10 °C), it is the perfect summer companion.
Further wine recommendations for this dish
Albariño DO Rías Baixas (Galicia, Spain)
The most natural seafood accompaniment on the Iberian Peninsula comes from the Atlantic granite soils of Galicia. Its peach, grapefruit and citrus aromas, the characteristic hint of salt and the lively acidity are such a natural combination for grilled prawns that they are hardly questioned in the coastal restaurants of Galicia – it’s just right. It is aromatically less expressive than the Verdejo, but of greater oceanic authenticity. Aioli finds a direct, honest partner in its salty freshness. For all those who prefer Galicia to Castile when it comes to king prawns.
Assyrtiko DO Santorini (Aegean, Greece)
The volcanic salt freshness and bone-dry minerality of Assyrtiko DO Santorini are hard to beat for grilled seafood – both speak the same oceanic, mineral language. Its citrus-peach aromatics enliven the prawns, its acidity cuts through the aioli with precision. It is more expressive and mineral than the Verdejo – for anyone who prefers the Greek Aegean to the Castilian plateau for a prawn barbecue.
Mosel Riesling Kabinett dry QmP (Mosel, Germany)
The citrus precision and slate minerality of the Mosel Riesling Kabinett trocken QmP are a cool, clarifying alternative to the sunny Iberians for grilled prawns. Its acidity hits the aioli just as precisely as the Verdejo, while its slate minerality gives the prawns a grounding depth. It is the most delicate companion in this round – for all those who prefer German Riesling to Spanish white wine with king prawns.
Vermentino DOC Liguria (Liguria, Italy)
From the terraces of the Ligurian Riviera comes a white wine with almond, citrus blossom, fennel and a characteristic bitter almond finish, which understands prawns in a Mediterranean-Southern European way. Its salty freshness and herbal spice communicate with the aioli and the grilled seafood character in a harmonious, uncomplicated way. For all those who would rather be on the Riviera than in Spain during the prawn summer.
You can find more summer recipes with matching wines on the summer and wine overview page.
The recipe:
Grilled king prawns with aioli and baguette
Cooking utensils
- 1 Grill or grill pan
- 1 Hand blender or mixer (for the aioli)
- 1 Brush (for oiling)
- Wooden skewers (30 watered) or barbecue tongs
- 1 Small bowl (for the aioli)
Ingredients
- 500 g King prawns raw, with shell, size 8/12
- 2 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 Garlic cloves grated
- Zest and juice of half a lemon
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
- Salt black pepper
- 1 Baguette
FOR THE AIOLI:
- 2 Garlic cloves very finely grated or crushed in a mortar
- 1 Egg yolk Room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 150 ml Neutral oil Sunflower or grape seed oil
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of half a lemon
- Salt white pepper
Preparation
PREPARATION:
- For the aioli: Whisk the egg yolk, mustard, garlic and a pinch of salt in a tall cup or bowl.
- Stir in the neutral oil, first drop by drop, then in a thin stream – always beating until completely emulsified.
- Finally, stir in the olive oil and season with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Chill in a cool place.
- Marinate the king prawns with olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, paprika powder, salt and pepper. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes.
- Cut the baguette diagonally into thick slices.
COOKING STEPS:
- Preheat the barbecue to a high heat.
- Grill the baguette slices briefly on both sides until they have grill marks. Set aside.
- Place the prawns on the hot grid or cook in a grill pan over a high heat.
- Grill for exactly 90 seconds to 2 minutes per side – golden brown on the outside with grill marks, still soft pink on the inside.
- Remove from the grill immediately.
DIRECTIONS:
- Arrange the prawns on a large board or platter.
- Place the aioli in a small bowl next to it.
- Arrange grilled baguette.
- Garnish with lemon wedges, fresh parsley and fleur de sel.
- Dipping at the table itself – that’s the whole point.
SUPPLEMENTS:
- Lemon wedges to serve
- Fresh parsley leaves as garnish
- Mixed leaf salad with lemon dressing
