Gambas al Ajillo (Sizzling Garlic Shrimp) with Crusty Bread

Photo: Javier Lastras from España/Spain · CC BY 2.0 · source

Shrimp cooked in a pool of olive oil with a dozen cloves of garlic, smoked paprika and chili, the way Madrid's tapas bars do it. Plenty of crusty bread for mopping up the oil is essential.

Ingredients

• 2 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 12 garlic cloves, smashed or thickly sliced
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• 1 lemon
• 1 baguette, warmed
• 5 oz spring mix

From your pantry: ½ cup olive oil, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 2 tbsp dry sherry (optional), 1 tsp red wine vinegar.

Instructions

1. Pat the shrimp very dry and toss with ½ tsp salt. Dress the greens with a little oil, the vinegar and a pinch of salt.
2. Warm the oil in a wide skillet or clay dish over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the garlic, paprika and pepper flakes and cook gently until the garlic is fragrant and just golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, sugar and remaining salt, then add the shrimp in a single layer.
4. Cook, turning once, until the shrimp are pink and curled, 2 to 3 minutes total. Add the sherry and let it sizzle for 30 seconds, then take the pan off the heat right away.
5. Squeeze over half the lemon, scatter with parsley and bring the pan to the table sizzling, with bread, lemon wedges and the salad.

Tip: Pull the pan the moment the shrimp turn pink; the hot oil keeps cooking them. Garlic that goes past golden turns bitter, so keep the heat moderate.

Nutrition per serving

Good for

Adapted from Grantourismo.

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