Article: published on 24 August 2026
James Martin's Spanish Tapas
James Martin's Spanish Tapas
- Published
Chef James Martin joined BBC Morning Live to show us how to make the perfect Pan con Tomate, explaining why plum tomatoes are key for rich flavour. Through sharing his love for tapas, James also created mouthwatering Gambas Pil Pil, telling us why a smoking hot pan is key for the perfect results.
Tomatoes on Toast
Serves four
Ingredients
4 slices sourdough
50ml olive oil
4 large tomatoes
1 clove garlic
Salt and pepper
Method
Drizzle half the olive oil over the bread and toast until charred
For the topping ½ the tomatoes and grate over a sieve and bowl with a box grater.
Crush the garlic with a little salt until it resembles a fine paste.
Mix into the tomato pulp with the rest of the olive oil.
Spoon onto the charred toasts and serve.
Top tips
Always look for British-grown tomatoes, or better yet grow your own. The 'gnarlier' they appear, the fresher and better they'll be for flavour.
Don't throw away the tomato juice after sieving. Instead, freeze it and it can be used to make a delicious Bloody Mary cocktail.
Gambas Pil Pil
Serves two
Ingredients
10 large prawns, shell on
50g butter
2 bulbs garlic roasted in foil and olive oil for 40 minutes.
1 small bunch parsley chopped
1 red chilli diced
1 lemon juice and zest
Method
Heat a large pan cook the prawns until charred on one side.
Flip over and add the butter, garlic, parsley, chilli and cook for a further minute or 2 until the prawns are pink.
Spoon into bowls squeeze over the lemon and serve with crusty bread.
Alternatively pop everything into an ovenproof dish and roast for 5 minutes.
Top tips
Don't shy away from cooking prawns with their shells on. Not only does it lock in moisture, but there is a huge amount of flavour in the 'head' of the prawns which you can mash and then dip your bread into.
You also don't need to discard the shells, use them for flavouring up a soup or broth!
