From the tascas of Madrid to the tapa bars of Málaga, gambas al ajillo—scorching, garlicky shrimp—is a favourite tapa (often known as gambas al pil pil in Málaga). That’s as a result of it’s an actual sensory expertise: first you catch a tantalizing whiff of garlic. Because the lid is lifted from the little clay dish, the oil spits and splutters. Small pink shrimp, golden slices of garlic and pink flecks of chile dance within the oil. Dip chunks of bread into the scorching juices and fork up the tender shrimp. Wow.
As a result of it’s a basic, I included Scorching Garlic Shrimp on the tapas menu for a cooking class I had final week in my kitchen. However, after the meatballs and tortilla, boquerones and orange salad, plus a variety of chatter, we by no means bought to the shrimp. So, the next day, I cooked the shrimp that I had prepped for the category for myself. However I just about reinvented the basic.
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| Just a few modifications on basic gambas al ajillo (scorching shrimp)–pieces of chorizo and a slosh of fino Sherry go into the effervescent oil. |
I had already begun the variations on the normal recipe. For comfort, I purchased frozen langostinos*—jumbo shrimp—as a substitute of recent gambas—small to medium shrimp which might be often used for this dish. And, now that I’ve an induction cooktop, I can now not use the little earthenware cazuelitas. So I cooked the entire shrimp in a deep skillet, as a substitute of in particular person servings.
Some leftover gentle chorizo and an open bottle of fino manzanilla (Sherry from Sanlucar de la Barrameda) impressed extra modifications. And, as a result of I believe inexperienced leafy greens enhance absolutely anything, I added a handful of chopped spinach.
First I served the shrimp, type of like the unique tapa, with chunks of bread to sop up the savory juices. For one more meal, I served the shrimp, chorizo and spinach with all their spicy juices over cooked rice.
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| Jumbo shrimp in olive oil with chorizo and bits of sizzling chile. |
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| You may want chunks of bread to take in the savory juices. |
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| A tapa turns into a meal–the sautéed shrimp with garlic and chorizo plus spinach, served over rice. Fino (dry) manzanilla or Sherry is the proper wine pairing for the shrimp. |
Scorching Garlic Shrimp with Sausage and Spinach
Gambas al Ajillo con Chorizo y Espinacas
As a tapa, I had portioned 4 jumbo shrimp per particular person. So I had 20 peeled shrimp weighing 13 ounces. That made three good-sized servings (principal dish with rice) or 4 smaller servings as a starter. By the way, the shrimp for this dish are peeled–including the tails. I used gentle cooking chorizo** however sliced, hard-cured chorizo might be used too. And, I wager leafy chard or kale can be nearly as good as spinach on this dish.
½ cup olive oil
4-6 cloves garlic, sliced crosswise
4 slices dried chile or pink pepper flakes
2 ounces chorizo sausage, chopped
20 peeled jumbo shrimp (about 14 ounces)
1 cup chopped recent spinach
¼ cup fino (dry) Sherry
Salt
Chopped parsley
Cooked rice as an accompaniment (elective)
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| Shrimp sauté in minutes. |
Warmth the oil on medium-high in a deep frying pan. Add the garlic, chile and chorizo. When the garlic begins to show pale gold (1-2 minutes), add the shrimp and spinach. Sauté, turning the shrimp, till it turns pink, 2-3 minutes. Add the Sherry and cook dinner till the alcohol is cooked off, 2 minutes. Season with salt.
Serve the shrimp instantly, spooned over sizzling rice, if desired. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Hyperlinks to extra recipes for shrimp “al ajillo,” with a “little” garlic:
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| 2008 (out of print) |
The whole lot you wished to find out about tapas in Spain:
