Shrimp with garlic from Spain

One of the best tapas to be had when the shrimp are the right size and fresh. They are usually served in individual earthenware pans, covered and eaten with small wooden forks.

Angulas, the super expensive and now rare Spanish seafood, are cooked exactly the same way.

Shrimp with garlic (gambas al ajillo) recipe

The shrimp used for this recipe should not be excessively large. The kind of chili used for this in Spain is known as guindilla, a Spanish hot dried red chili, of the thin and long varieties.

Ingredients

Procedure

1. Wash shrimp and peel them carefully. Pat dry or let them stand on kitchen cloth 4-5 minutes. This will make cooking them much easier.
2. Heat up oil in an earthenware pan; sauté garlic 1-2 minutes. When the garlic starts changing color, add chili and peeled shrimp.
3. Cook shrimp briefly, under 1 minute, the earthenware retains heat very well and shrimp will go on cooking even when the heat source is off.
4. Cover and serve straight away, still in the pan.

Cooking Tips

• Ideally, they should be cooked in individual size earthenware pans. Remember not to put this kind of pan in direct contact with the heat source.
  
• Water droplets will make hot olive oil splatter. Shrimp are easier to cook after that pat dry or resting on kitchen towel.
• Use cooked spaghetti instead of shrimp and follow the recipe. You will have a very easy and delicious pasta dish.
• Another delicious pasta dish is created by cooking frozen shrimp and cockles with garlic, as explained but obviously in a large pan and for longer time, add the spaghetti, boilded as per packet instructions, and cook for a further minute.