Introduction
Gambas al ajillo are prawns cooked in a few minutes in olive oil with plenty of garlic, a dried chili and parsley. They come to the table still sizzling, with bread to dip in the garlic oil. Made with frozen prawns, they are a cheap tapa for four, or dinner for two with a salad.
The name means “prawns with garlic”. The dish comes from Madrid and is one of the most common tapas in Spanish bars, served as a ración in a small earthenware dish, the cazuela. Some cooks add a splash of sherry. The garlic must cook slowly until pale gold, before the prawns go in. Once it browns, it turns bitter, and so does the oil.
Ingredients
- 500 g raw peeled prawns, thawed if frozen
- 100 ml olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 dried chili, broken into pieces, or 1 pinch of chili flakes
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry (optional)
- a handful of parsley, chopped
- salt
- bread, to serve
Tools
- A frying pan about 24 cm wide, or 4 small earthenware dishes
Preparation
- Pat the prawns dry with kitchen paper and sprinkle them with salt.
- Put the oil, garlic and chili in the cold pan and warm it over a medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the garlic sizzles and turns pale gold. Don’t let it brown.
- Turn up the heat, add the prawns in one layer and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until they are pink and curled.
- Add the sherry, if using, and let it bubble for a few seconds.
- Scatter over the parsley and serve straight away in the pan, with bread for the oil.