Tapas: Garlicky Shrimp with Olive Oil (Gambas al Ajillo)
Garlicky Shrimp with Olive Oil (Gambas al Ajillo)
This recipe comes from La Casa del Abuelo, a nearly century-old taberna in Madrid, via Food and Wine. Gambas al Ajillo is a classic tapas dish, and very quick and easy. This took me all of 15 minutes to make, including food prep. I reduced the quantities used in the recipe by about 2/3, but otherwise followed the directions exactly. I served this with Herb and Antipasti Salad with Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette and lots of crusty bread to soak up the garlic oil.
Most wine pairings I checked out for Gambas al Ajillo suggested white or sparkling wine, but oh the horror, I felt like drinking red. At least it was from the right country. I opened a Jumilla, 1999 Mature Reserva Monastrell-Tempranillo 1999, from Bodegas San Dionisio in the Castilla-La Mancha region of Spain (yes, the home of Don Quijote). And this probably was a quixotic choice to go with shrimp. The best way to describe this wine was very ripe and plummy. It really might be a better match for meats, but I enjoyed it anyway. Just don’t call me Sancho Panza.
Tagged with bodegas san dionisio, dried chiles, gambas al ajillo, garlic, jumilla, olive oil, parsley, shrimp, spain, tapas, tempranillo, Wine
