Spanish
Gambas al Ajillo
Spanish shrimp gently sizzled in olive oil with sliced garlic, dried chile, and parsley.
4 servings · 20 minutes prep · 10 minutes cook
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds head-on shell-on jumbo shrimp
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 3/4 cup fruity Spanish extra-virgin olive oil
- 10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 dried guindilla chiles, stemmed and broken into pieces
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions
Prepare the Shrimp and Infuse the Oil
- Peel the shrimp, leaving the tails attached, and reserve the shells and heads. Devein the shrimp, pat very dry, toss with the salt, and refrigerate uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Combine the olive oil, reserved shells and heads, and 2 lightly crushed garlic cloves in a 10-inch cazuela. Warm over low heat for 8 minutes, pressing the heads to release their juices; the garlic should sizzle gently but not brown. Strain the oil, pressing well, then discard the solids.
Cook and Serve
- Return the infused oil to the clean cazuela with the remaining 8 sliced garlic cloves and guindilla. Cook over medium-low for 2 to 3 minutes, swirling frequently, until the garlic is pale gold at the edges.
- Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the shrimp in one layer and cook for 45 to 60 seconds. Turn and cook just until pearly and opaque throughout and the thickest shrimp reaches {{temperature:145°F}}, about 60 to 90 seconds more.
- Remove from the heat as soon as the shrimp reach the endpoint. Sprinkle with parsley and serve sizzling, with all the garlic-infused oil.
