Thomasina Miers' grilled prawns with red rice and allioli. Photograph: Matthew Hague/The Guardian. Food and prop styling: Florence Blair. Food styling assistant: Phoebe Altman. View image in fullscreen Thomasina Miers' grilled prawns with red rice and allioli. Photograph: Matthew Hague/The Guardian. Food and prop styling: Florence Blair. Food styling assistant: Phoebe Altman. Thomasina Miers recipes Mexican food and drink Spanish summer recipes: Thomasina Miers’ grilled prawns, red rice and boozy baked peaches An indulgent and satisfying summer lunch: grilled prawns with red rice and allioli; and boozy baked peaches, amaretti biscuits and cold custard for dessert
Thomasina Miers Tue 28 Jul 2026 07.00 CEST Share Prefer the Guardian on Google L arge, scented tomatoes are beginning to flood the markets near me, and their presence brings back memories of Mexico. On a trip up north to Ensenada, a famous fishing port, I became obsessed with the Spanish-style arroz dishes studded with fresh shellfish and seafood of every shape and size. The clams! The crab! On another trip, we sat by the sea for a birthday lunch with the waves crashing on to the sand, while we were presented with a grilled prawn arroz, where the grains were steeped in rich tomato and grilled prawn umami that it was giddying. A cold custard with roast peaches will prolong the fantasy – a lunch that conjures up far away places that you can dream about from home.
This may be a showstopper (and deeply delicious), but it is pleasingly straightforward in its execution.
400g medium-sized, very ripe tomatoes 1 red chilli 1 red pepper, stem removed 100ml olive oil 4 garlic cloves, peeled; 2 left whole, 2 finely chopped 400g prawns, deveined , heads and shells left on Salt and black pepper 1 tbsp chipotle en adobo, plus 1 heaped tsp 1 tbsp sherry vinegar, plus 1 tsp 1 large red onion, peeled and finely chopped ½ fennel bulb, finely chopped 1 large pinch saffron 400g short-grain rice 250g good-quality mayonnaise 180g fresh or frozen peas Chopped chives or parsley, to garnish (optional)
Put a frying pan over a high heat, add the tomatoes, chilli and red pepper, and dry toast, turning occasionally, for 10-12 minutes, until the tomatoes and chilli are blackened all over. Transfer the tomatoes and chilli into an upright blender, and continue to cook the pepper, either directly over a flame or in the pan, until blackened. Put the pepper in a bowl, cover with clingfilm and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a large paella pan or frying pan (preferably with a lid) over a high heat. Once hot, add a few tablespoons of oil and the whole garlic cloves, and cook for a few minutes, until they turn golden around the edges. Add the prawns, season generously and saute for four to five minutes, until colouring on all sides.
Make a stock by tearing the prawn heads from the bodies and adding them to the blender with a tablespoon of chipotle and a tablespoon of sherry vinegar. Blitz to a puree, then pour in 500ml boiling water and blend again for 30 seconds. Set the prawns and garlic aside.
Pour the remaining oil into the large pan and sweat the onion and fennel over a medium heat for 10 minutes, until translucent, seasoning with salt and pepper. Now add the chopped garlic and saffron, cook for a few minutes, then stir in the rice for a few minutes, until the grains are coated in oil. Pour in the tomato and shrimp stock, taste and add more salt if needed, then cook uncovered over a medium heat for 18 minutes…