Easy Mediterranean Shrimp

Gambas Al Ajillo

This recipe is an example of a Spanish tapa. A tapa is a bite-sized appetizer, but it is more delicate than most common appetizers we see in the US. They typically use fancier items, such as shrimp or zucchini, rather than cheese and crackers.

This recipe is for a garlic shrimp. It is one of the most classic Spanish tapas, and is wonderfully simple. It is generally cooked in shallow earthenware, however, I made mine in a skillet, and it turned out well. The ingredients can vary, and you can essentially add almost any spice to compliment the garlic flavor.

You start by sprinkling both sides of the shrimp with sea salt. Then, combine olive oil, garlic, some bay leaf, and chile pepper in a bowl and sauté it until it begins to brown. Add the shrimp and cook, flipping the shrimp so both sides get brown. After they are done cooking, I sprinkled them with some ground parsley and served them with asparagus and broccoli.

Here's the recipe so you can make it yourself!

                                    1/2 lb small shrimp, shelled          1 small bay leaf

                                    kosher or sea salt                           a 1-inch dried red chile pepper

                                    1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil         1 tablespoon minced parsley

                                    3 cloves garlic, peeled and

                                    coarsely chopped                            ojlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

                                                                                          

Sprinkle the shrimp on both sides with salt. Let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes. In a small, shallow casserole (preferably Spanish earthenware) combine the oil, garlic, bay leaf, and chile pepper and sauté over a medium-high flame until the garlic just begins to color. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until the shrimp are just done, about a minute or two (if the shrimp have turned opaque at the center, they are sufficiently cooked). Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately in the casserole dish, accompanied by good crusty bread for dunking.

How can you incorporate ingredients from your culture to make this recipe your own?

Casas, Penelope. New York: Knopf Doubleday Group, 1996. Print.