Gambas al Ajillo – Spanish Garlic Prawn Tapas. Gambas al Ajilo is an iconic tapas recipe originally from Madrid. They are traditionally made and served in small earthenware dishes called cazuelita de barro. The list of ingredients is small. Prawns and the best quality Spanish olive oil you can afford. Some garlic, parsley, a splash of white wine and a couple of spices. While simple to make the flavours combine in a way that will have you wanting to lick the dish.
You can cook the prawns peeled and deveined or in the shell. I prefer the latter as I enjoy the whole process of peeling each prawn and lick the delicious sauce from my fingers. Just adjust the cooking time depending on their size and if they are shelled. Some recipes I have seen substitute the wine for sherry or brandy (please see what to drink below). Gambas al pil pil simply known as pil pil is a Basque variation of Gambas al Ajillo. They are served particularly in San Sebastián they have a lot more chilli pepper heat.
What is Tapas?
Tapas were originally small plates delicious Spanish food. They were served as appetisers or snacks with a drink. One theory about their origin is that Andalusian bars drinkers were bothered by Fruit flies. The bar owners served pieces of bread or ham to cover the sherry glass es to keep out small flies. They noticed that customers who ate the salty ham drank more sherry. Another idea is that they were small taster plates of dishes. These were served from the kitchen for early travellers who could not read the menu.
Tapas bars are now found around the world and the dishes can be quite elaborate. Traditional tapas can be served cold like olives, anchovies, freshly sliced Jamón Ibérico or salted almonds. Others are hot like Patas Bravas, crispy fried potatoes with a spicy tomato sauce or deep-fried calamari. Some of my favourites are braised chorizo, pan con tomate, and today’s recipe.
What to drink with Gambas al Ajillo?
My first choice would be wine made with the Albariño grape from Rías Baixas. This is a Spanish wine region on the Spanish Atlantic coast in Galicia. Rias Baixas wines are crisp and fresh with hints of citrus fruits, melon and a delicious salinity.
If you choose to make the recipe with a sherry wine, I would use a Fino or Manzanilla. You can erve the dish with a well-chilled glass of the same. Would you prefer a beer? Then try Alhambra Especial, a balanced, smooth lager with hints of nuts and honey a great match for seafood.
If you like this dish why not try one of my other Spanish recipes like chilled Gazpacho soup, Spanish Tomato bread or a delicious Paella de Marisco.
Gambas al Ajillo
Ingredients
- 700 gr Large raw Gambas or Prawns in their shells
- 250 ml Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 200 ml Spanish White Wine
- 10 cloves Garlic peeled and chopped
- 1 teaspoon Sweet Paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried Red Chilli Flakes you can add more if you want
- A generous squeeze Lemon Juice
- A small handful Parsley thoroughly washed, dried and chopped
- Jersey Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
Equipment
- 1 Large heavy-bottomed Frying Pan
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed sauté pan. Cook the garlic over moderate heat without burning.
- Once it starts to colour and the gambas and the chilli flakes and cook until they turn pink on one side.
- Turn over the gambas, sprinkle over the paprika and add the wine and lemon juice. Turn up the heat and simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Remove from the heat. Season and stir in the parsley. Serve with plenty of freshly baked, crusty bread to mop up the juices.
Notes
Check if your wine contains any sulphitesCan I ask a favour?
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