Stop me if I’ve told you this story before. It’s the one when I ordered Gambas al Ajillo – Spanish Garlic Shrimp – at a little tapas restaurant in Madrid. Before I could say ajo, our small wooden table was blanketed by a steaming cloud of garlic. It was intoxicating (and I do mean the scent of garlic shrimp, not the bottle of vino that also happened to be on the table). Once I came to, I was able to understand why this shrimp was so special. First, it was extremely tender and flavored to its center. It came served in a small cazuela (a Spanish terra cotta dish) that contained not only the shrimp, but also a pool of warm spiced olive oil that served two purposes: to infuse the shrimp with flavor and to act as the most perfect dipping sauce for a crusty loaf of bread.
Spanish Garlic Shrimp is the kind of dish that sticks with you – even when that garlicky aroma is finally washed from your hair. Our recipe is one that pays homage to the Spanish classic and can be quickly and easily made in the comfort of your own kitchen. You’ll see that we marinate the shrimp in a mixture of garlic and smoked paprika for 15 minutes before cooking. This dry rub helps to season the seafood before it makes its way into the skillet of spiced oil, where it is reinforced with even more flavor. You’ll also notice that we add some Sherry vinegar to the skillet after the shrimp is cooked. This vinegar from the south of Spain has depth and bright acidity. It rounds out the flavor of the dish and adds an authentic taste.
We like to make this recipe as an appetizer for company (it is certainly a crowd pleaser), for a weeknight meal with some white rice, and lately on Fridays during this season of Lent. In fact, we’re off to make it again now.
- 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 4 tbsp.), divided
- 2 tsp. smoked paprika, divided
- 1 lb. large shrimp (about 22 pieces), peeled, deveined and patted dry
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
- Salt, to taste
- 2 tbsp. sherry vinegar
- 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
- In medium bowl, combine 2 tbsp. chopped garlic, 1 tsp. smoked paprika and shrimp. Massage spices into shrimp and let sit at room temperature 15 min.
- Heat olive oil in 12” non-stick skillet over medium heat until warm. Add remaining chopped garlic, remaining smoked paprika and red pepper flakes to skillet. Cook, stirring often, until garlic becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds. Season shrimp with salt. Working in 2 batches, add shrimp to skillet. Cook, flipping once, until shrimp curls and turns pink and opaque, about 3 minutes per batch. Transfer shrimp to rimmed serving plate or bowl.
- Remove skillet from heat; stir in sherry vinegar and parsley. Pour contents of skillet into serving plate with shrimp. Serve immediately.