10 Jun Red prawns, the queen of Ibiza’s gastronomy

Without a doubt, the red prawn from Ibiza (Aristeus antennatus) is the star product of the Pityusic gastronomy. With a unique flavour and morphology, this crustacean is such an intense and exquisite bite that it is worth enjoying it in all its splendour, without too many condiments.

From a physical point of view, the red shrimp stands out for the intense red color of its shell and for the size of the head, which is larger than other varieties. It usually reaches up to 22 centimeters in length. However, its greatest virtue lies in the extraordinary power of its flavor, much more concentrated in the part of the head. This characteristic is a consequence of its habitat, which is completely different from others that host this same variety in other areas of the Mediterranean.

The Ibiza red shrimp lives on sandy bottoms, about 600 meters deep, safe from predators. It feeds on algae that do not perform the photosynthetic process, which contributes significantly to its characteristic flavor and its higher concentration of fat, which provides a juicy texture unique in the world. Although the variety is identical to the one caught, for example, on the Costa Brava, their living conditions are radically different, as they live there with rocky bottoms of different depths and feed on molluscs and other smaller crustaceans.

There is some controversy when it comes to establishing a difference between the red shrimp of Ibiza and the red shrimp of Denia, in the Spanish Levante. It’s just a matter of nomenclature, since the product is exactly the same. Regardless of the fish market where it lands, the crustacean is caught in the so-called “Canal de Ibiza”, between the coast of Denia and the west of the greater pitiusa. In fact, it is common to see the boats of Denia fishing off the coast of Sant Antoni, whose catches are then served in the restaurants of the peninsula, as a product of Denia. Controversies aside, it is a delicacy.

It is fished throughout the year, but at irregular times of the year, catches are reduced to a minimum, which causes its price to become drastically more expensive in markets.

At Es Torrent we like to prepare it in the simplest way. Place them on a bed of coarse salt, on a special griddle that emits little heat, where they are slowly cooked and retain all their juices. We serve it to the point, without losing an iota of its substance. They are also used in paellas and fideuás. If Ibiza had to be defined in a single bite, it would be with the freshness of a red shrimp.