Cook's Illustrated

Spanish-Style Garlic Shrimp

Published January 1, 2008.  From Cook's Illustrated.

Why this recipe works:

We wanted a garlic shrimp recipe that would make six good-size appetizer portions of wonderfully sweet and tender shrimp, infused with deep garlic flavor and not drenched in oil. First, we chose a large pan, to accommodate the shrimp in one layer in a reduced amount of oil. Then, to get good garlic flavor in our shrimp recipe, we added garlic in three ways: as minced cloves in a marinade, as smashed whole cloves browned in and removed from the oil before the shrimp were added, and as slices added to the oil before the shrimp were added.

Serves 6 as an appetizer

Serve shrimp with crusty bread for dipping in the richly flavored olive oil. The dish can be served directly from the skillet (make sure to use a trivet) or, for a sizzling effect, transferred to an 8-inch cast-iron skillet that's been heated for 2 minutes over medium-high heat. We prefer the slightly sweet flavor of dried chiles in this recipe, but 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika can be substituted. If sherry vinegar is unavailable, use 2 teaspoons dry sherry and 1 teaspoon white vinegar.


Ingredients

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