Spiced Marinated Shrimp & Garlic

This is a Spanish-style gambas al ajillo cousin that swaps the dish-side servings for a make-ahead marinade. Thirty cloves of garlic sounds like a lot until you realize they parboil first, which mellows them from sharp to sweet and almost buttery. They infuse the olive oil with a deep garlic perfume that’s nothing like the harsh raw-garlic version.

The shrimp barely cook, and that’s the trick. They go into the hot, infused oil only long enough to turn pink and curl, maybe 90 seconds. Push them past that and they turn rubbery. Pulled at the right moment and they stay tender as the marinade cools around them.

A day in the fridge is what makes this dish. The flavors meld, the garlic deepens further, and the shrimp soak up every aromatic note from the rosemary, paprika, bay leaf, and cayenne. Eat it warm and it’s good. Eat it the next day and it’s transcendent.

Serve with crusty bread for sopping the garlicky oil. The bread is half the experience. A glass of cold sherry or white wine takes it the rest of the way.

Chef Tips

• Parboil whole, unpeeled garlic cloves for 5 minutes, drain, and the skins slip right off. Saves the tedium of peeling 30 raw cloves.
• Cook the oil mixture very gently for 15 minutes. Hot, sputtering oil burns the garlic and turns it bitter.
• Use the largest shrimp you can find, peeled and deveined. Tiny shrimp overcook before you can blink.
• The infused oil is gold. Save any leftover for pasta, vegetables, or grilled bread the next day.

Variations

• Add a few sliced chiles or a tablespoon of smoked paprika for more heat and smoke.
• Toss in halved cherry tomatoes during the last minute for color and acid.
• Stir in a splash of dry sherry or vermouth before chilling for a deeper Spanish flavor.