Shrimp with Garlic
Aclassic Spanish tapa, cooked quickly in small ramekins and served sizzling. In Spain, the ramekins are put over direct heat, which, frankly, makes me nervous; I use a heavy skillet and take that right to the table. The Spanish are practically obsessed with the type of shrimp they use and prefer them to be fresh rather than frozen; but most of us don't have much choice. That's okay: as long as the shrimp are of high quality, the dish will be delicious.
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
- 1 small dried chile, coarsely chopped, or 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste 1 pound peeled shrimp, preferably small (more than 40 per pound), or larger shrimp, cut up
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish
Instructions:
- Combine the oil, garlic, and chile in an 8- to 10-  inch skillet, preferably cast iron, and turn the heat to medium. When the garlic begins to sizzle and turn golden, add the shrimp. Cook, stirring, until the shrimp just turn pink and opaque, 2 to 4 minutes.
- Stir in the salt, garnish with the parsley, and serve immediately, directly from the pan.