Karl’s Tapas: Gambas al Ajillo (Shrimp Scampi)

Adapted from a Food and Wine recipe

I am making a Spanish tapas dinner for this Sunday. This is a simple tapas that you can serve with other tapas or alone with crusty bread. One of the problems with making tapas is the rush at the end to finishing cooking everything at once. You can set up this dish up early, ready to do the final cooking just before serving.

Karl’s Tapas Gambas al Ajillo
Shrimp Scampi

Note: The original recipe, that I used, called for using a cup of olive oil—not in my house. Other recipes call for using very large amounts of garlic.

Karl’s Tapas: Gambas al Ajillo (Shrimp Scampi)

Ingredients

2 Tbs. olive oil
2 whole dried red chilies
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. medium shrimp

¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
¼ tsp. Fleur de sel

Directions

1. Shell and devein the shrimp.

2. Blot the shrimp dry and leave them, on and covered with paper towels, in the refrigerator until you are ready to fry them.

3. Put the oil into a skillet and measure/chop the rest of the ingredients and set them aside.

4. Five minutes before serving, heat the olive oil until shimmering over a medium high heat.

5. Add the chilies and garlic and cook them for one minute.

6. Add the shrimp, and toss them to coat them with the chii garlic oil.

7. Spread the shrimp into a single layer and sear them for 1-2 minutes.

8. Flip the shrimp and sear them for one more minute.

9. Add the parsley and toss with the shrimp for 10 seconds.

10. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl, sprinkle with Fleur de sel and serve immediately.