Gambas al Ajillo or Garlic Shrimp

Gambas al Ajillo or Garlic Shrimp

This is one of the most Famous Tapas found in southern part of Spain. The fresh Shrimps from Mediterranean make this dish very tasty and this dish being so easy to prepare is another reason for it's popularity. I have always had to make extra batches of Gambas Al Ajillo because it tends to disappear from the plates faster than you can cook.

Preparation Time : 10 minutes
Cooking Time      :  10 minutes
Difficulty              :  Very Easy
Serves                  :  4 - 6

Ingredients :

• 500 grams Shrimp, 25 count would be better 
• 4 large cloves of Garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon sweet Spanish Paprika (you can substitute with Kashmiri Mirch) 
• 1 teaspoon  Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/4 cup of Cognac (you may substitute Dry Sherry instead)
• 1/4 cup Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 teaspoon  chopped fresh Parsley
• 1 Lemon for juice
• 1 Baguette / Fresh Garlic Bread

 

Method :

The shrimp can be peeled first, before cooking. Clean the poop string from the back and remove shells leaving only the tail. In addition, if you like larger shrimp, you may purchase shrimp with fewer count. However, 25 to 500 grams are about the right size for this tapa.

 1) In a saute pan or heavy frying pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat.

 2) Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for about one minute or until they begin to brown. Be careful not to burn the garlic!

 3) Raise the heat to high and add the shrimp, lemon juice, sherry or cognac and paprika.

  4) Stir well, then saute, stirring briskly until the shrimp turn pink and curl – about 3 minutes.

 5) Remove from heat and transfer shrimp with oil and sauce to a warm plate or serve right from the pan.

 6) Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Check the seasonings and adjust if required.

 7) Sprinkle with  fresh parsley and serve hot with fresh bread.