Whole fresh anchovies butterfly: pinch the head, pull, the spine and head come away with the guts. The two fillets remain attached at the tail. Fillets rinse in icy water 5 minutes; lay flat on a tray; sprinkle with salt; cover with white-wine vinegar; cure 24 hours (the flesh turns from pinkish-grey to opaque white). Drain. Layer the cured fillets in a dish with olive oil, sliced garlic, parsley. Rest at least 4 hours before serving.
A Spanish tapas classic featuring tender squid rings and tentacles, quickly fried until golden and served with a vibrant paprika, garlic, and chilli dressing. The high heat creates a crispy exterior while keeping the squid moist inside. Simple yet elegant, a restaurant-quality dish that comes together in minutes.
Sliced garlic (lots, like 8 cloves for a small dish) cooks slowly in olive oil till just turning gold. Dried chilli flakes go in. Heat goes up; peeled raw prawns join. Sizzles 2-3 minutes till the prawns turn pink and curl. A splash of sherry or sherry vinegar at the end. Parsley showers over. Served at the table still bubbling. Bread is essential, half the dish is the garlic oil.
Chickpea flour and plain flour whisk with cold water and a pinch of salt and paprika to a thin batter, like single cream. Rests for 30 minutes (the flour fully hydrates). Tiny whole brown shrimp (camarones or krill, head and shell on, eaten whole) stir in with finely chopped spring onion and parsley. Olive oil heats hot in a wide pan. A small ladle of batter drops in; spreads naturally to a thin lacy disc 10 cm across. Fries for 2 minutes, flips, fries 1 more minute. Drains briefly on a rack. Eats hot.