Gambas al Ajillo Recipe
Looking to add a touch of Spanish flair to your dinner routine? Look no further than Gambas al Ajillo! This mouthwatering dish brings the flavors of Spain straight to your kitchen, offering a restaurant-quality experience in about 15 minutes.
Equipment
- an 8-9 inch heavy-bottomed skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp, (peeled, deveined, tail-on) pat them dry with paper towels
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 dried arbol chili , (cut into thin slices) or more for spicier result
- 2 oz thinly sliced garlic
- 2 tablespoons Spanish dry sherry
- zest from one lemon
- 1 teaspoon Spanish sweet paprika
- 3-4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, (or more to taste)
- kosher salt and black pepper, (to taste)
Optional:
- a few pieces of shrimp head or tail or shell, (to infuse the oil)
Instructions
- Pat shrimp dry with paper towels then sprinkle with salt and black pepper.
- In a medium pan, cook the garlic in olive oil over moderately low heat until it smells good and starts to turn brown, about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Optionally, add shrimp tail or head for extra flavor. Add chili and stir for 15 seconds. Remove shrimp tail or head if used.
- Cook shrimp over medium heat until just turning pink about 3 minutes, tossing regularly for even cooking.
- Add dry sherry and paprika. Cook and stirring occasionally until shrimp are fully done.
- Turn off the heat, then sprinkle fresh chopped parsley and lemon zest. Taste and add more salt/black pepper if needed.
Notes
Cooking Temperature. Keep in mind that the exact temperature may vary based on the type of stove and cookware used. Adjust the cooking temperature and duration as needed to avoid burning the garlic and overcooking the shrimp.
Take your time when cooking the garlic in olive oil over moderately low heat. This slow process allows the garlic to release its flavor without burning, resulting in a fragrant and delicious oil.
Lemon. You can add a squeeze of lemon juice for an extra citrusy flavor if you'd like.
Garlic. If you want a stronger garlic taste, feel free to add more garlic.
Chili Pepper. If you don't have dried chili pepper, feel free to substitute with a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
Dry Sherry. Do not replace dry sherry with cooking sherry because cooking sherry contains salt, which can significantly alter the flavor and overall quality of the dish. Alternatively, you can use dry white wine.
Nutrition
Calories: 233kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 11gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 432mgPotassium: 147mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 492IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 1mg
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