Garlic Shrimp o Gambas Al Ajillo

Shrimp and garlic! Two absolute favorites of mine, and for many others around the world too, especially in Spain. In Spain, this wonderful creation is known as gambas al ajillo. Gambas Al Ajillo I make garlic shrimp a lot, and I make it different all the time. But that’s OK. They make it different all the time in Spain as well. Just like anything that has been around for a long time, and is very popular in many areas, there are ALWAYS many different variations of the same dish.

This time I made my gambas al ajillo with some very thinly sliced whole garlic cloves that I “crisped” up slightly before adding the rest of the ingredients, then finished it off with butter at the end. I also added a bit of fresh thyme to the recipe. I didn’t have any sherry, but I did have brandy, which I like even better, so brandy it was.

Gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp) is most likely to have originated from the central or southern regions of Spain, where seafood dishes play a very prominent role in the local diet. This popular tapas dish is most prominently found in the Andalusia region and the capital of Madrid. According to some Spanish legends, King Alfonso X of Castile was the one to include tapas in Spanish cuisine. It’s said that eating small dishes with a glass of wine helped him recover from some illness. Since then, he decided that wine wasn’t allowed to be served unless it was paired with a tapa or a snack plate.

I had everything else already made and prepared before our guests arrived, but gambas al ajillo is an al minute dish, that only takes a few minutes to prepare. And I put on a little show for everyone too. I made sure I had a big flambe for them, that garnered a lot of ooohs and awwws. Needless to say, everyone was very impressed, by both the giant flambe and the end results. 🙂

As you can tell, I always have fun in any kitchen. I love to play with my food. I highly recommend it to everyone who loves food too. Be creative and see what happens. No recipe is ever set in stone. Recipes are always evolving and changing, and they are different in every house, every city or town, and every region. So next time you are cooking something up, don’t be afraid to add your own signature style and flavors to it to make it your own.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Have fun, stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.