Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp)

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound shell-on shrimp

  Spain My Way: Eat, Drink, and Cook Like a Spaniard José Andrés

• ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 6 garlic cloves, sliced

• 2 dried mild red chile pepper, such as chile de árbol

• Kosher salt

• 1½ tablespoons brandy or sherry, preferably Oloroso (optional)

• 1 to 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS

Remove the shells and tails from the shrimp and reserve for stock (page 45). Pat shrimp dry with paper towel.

Heat the oil in a 10-inch terra-cotta casserole (cazuela) or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until the garlic begins to turn golden on the edges, about 1 minute. Add the chile pepper and cook for 1 more minute. The garlic should be dancing in the oil.

Lay the shrimp in the pan in one layer and cook for 2 minutes, then turn them over and cook for 1 more minute. Season to taste with salt.

If the garlic starts to brown too quickly while the shrimp are cooking, add the brandy at the edge of the pan to slow down the cooking. Let it simmer for a few seconds, then gently shake the pan to mix the brandy into the oil. Cook for 15 more seconds and remove from the heat.

Garnish with parsley and serve with bread to soak up all the garlicky sauce.

From Spain My Way: Eat, Drink, and Cook Like a Spaniard by José Andrés with Sam Chapple-Sokol. Copyright © 2026 by José Andrés. Excerpted by permission of Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

When you shop using our links, we earn a small commission. It’s a great way to support public media at no extra cost to you.