Crispy garlic and plump shrimp bask in a pool of flavorful olive oil, inviting you to ski your crusty bread through it.
This simple dish, known as Gambas Al Ajillo in Spain or Camarao Alho in Portugal, is composed of crispy garlic and plump shrimp that bask in a pool of flavorful olive oil inviting you to ski your crusty bread through it. Whenever we visit the Iberian Peninsula, we end up ordering garlic shrimp at least three times. It is just so so good we never want to regret not ordering it.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb of peeled, deveined medium shrimp
- 8-infinity garlic cloves
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Optional:
- Splash of sherry wine vinegar or a squeeze of lemon
- Piri piri seasoning
- Crushed red pepper
Step 1:
Prepare and season shrimp by laying in a single layer and pat dry; season generously with salt and pepper (and piri piri or red pepper if you like).
Step 2:
Slice the garlic (the step 2 video is purposefully sped up to see the whole process).
Step 3:
Drizzle enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a sturdy skillet, and heat on medium.
Step 4:
Add garlic and cook for a few minutes until the garlic just barely starts to brown.
Step 5:
Optional: If using vinegar or lemon juice, stir it in at this point.
(this video contains steps 3-5)
Step 6:
Add a single layer of shrimp and cook for a few minutes until the shrimp turns pink around the edges.
Step 7:
Flip each shrimp to the other side and season again, cook for 1-2 more minutes.
Step 8:
Remove from heat, garnish with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley (optional), and serve immediately and piping hot with crusty bread for dipping.
Finished Meal:
We decided to pair our shrimp with fresh bread, chicken sausage, and crispy mushrooms on a bed of Fage yogurt and lemon oil. Yum! 😋
