Ingredients

For the sautéed squid with salmorejo

• 5 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
• 1 garlic clove, smashed, plus 2 whole garlic cloves
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
• 600g/1lb 5oz ripe tomatoes
• 100g/3½oz stale bread, crusts removed
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 4 small to medium squid with tentacles, cleaned and sliced into rings
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sobrasada toast with clams

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 500g/1lb 2oz clams, scrubbed and debearded
• 2 padron peppers, roughly chopped
• 100ml/3½fl oz fino sherry
• 2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
• 100g/3½oz sobrasada, cut into small pieces
• 2 slices sourdough bread, toasted

For the prawns cooked in salt

• 1–2 free-range egg whites, beaten
• 600g/1lb 5oz coarse sea salt
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 2 bay leaves, torn
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 4 large raw carabineros prawns, shells and heads on
• Lemon wedges, to serve
• Olive oil, to serve

Method

1. Begin with the sautéed squid and salmorejo. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the smashed garlic clove and the thyme sprigs, allowing them to perfume the oil. Stir in the panko breadcrumbs and cook until they are crisp and golden. Remove the breadcrumbs from the pan and drain them on kitchen paper, discarding the thyme and garlic if desired.

2. Put the ripe tomatoes, stale bread, the remaining whole garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the sherry vinegar into a blender. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy. Taste the salmorejo and season it with salt and freshly ground black pepper. If the sauce is too thick, loosen it with a little water until it reaches a spoonable consistency. Set aside while you cook the seafood.

3. Season the squid rings and tentacles with salt and pepper. Place a clean frying pan over a high heat until it is very hot. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, then immediately add the squid. Cook quickly for 1–2 minutes, turning as needed, until the squid is lightly coloured and just cooked through. Avoid overcooking, as squid can become tough. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice, then remove from the heat. Serve the squid with the salmorejo, a drizzle of extra olive oil and a spoonful of the toasted breadcrumb mixture for crunch.

4. For the sobrasada toast with clams, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, then cook gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Check the clams before cooking and discard any with broken shells, as well as any that do not close when tapped. Add the clams to the pan with the chopped padron peppers and fino sherry. Cover with a lid and steam for a few minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the clams open. Discard any clams that remain closed after cooking. Stir through the chopped parsley. Spread the sobrasada over the toasted sourdough, then spoon the hot clam mixture over the top so the juices soak into the bread.

5. To prepare the prawns cooked in salt, preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. In a roasting tin, combine the beaten egg whites, coarse sea salt, fennel seeds, torn bay leaves and lemon zest. Mix until the salt is evenly moistened and fragrant. Nestle the whole raw carabineros prawns into the salt mixture, covering them well so they cook gently inside the crust. Roast for 10 minutes, then remove the tin from the oven and leave the prawns to rest for about 3 minutes.

6. Crack open the salt crust and carefully lift out the prawns. Peel them at the table or just before serving, keeping the presentation simple. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and a little olive oil. Serve the salt-baked prawns alongside the sautéed squid with salmorejo and the sobrasada clam toast for a complete seafood dish with freshness, richness and deep savoury flavour.