Langostinos Cocidos

The story

Langostinos cocidos, boiled king prawns, are a classic starter for Nochebuena, the Spanish Christmas Eve, and reflect the high consumption of seafood that surges in Spain around the holidays—family tables then include langoustines, lobsters, oysters, and other delicacies of the sea in quantities unusual for the rest of the year, to the point that seafood prices regularly climb before Christmas because of the demand. The prawns are cooked simply, in salted water with a bay leaf, and served cold or warm, with a little mayonnaise or just lemon, with no need for complicated sauces that would mask their natural flavor. Nochebuena in Spain traditionally runs long into the night, with several courses, of which seafood is often the first. For Spanish families in the diaspora, where large, good-quality prawns are more expensive or harder to find than in Spain, this starter often becomes a special expense planned in advance, precisely because of its symbolic importance on the table.