Mexican-Style Garlic Shrimp (Camarones Al Ajillo)
Mexico's rendition of garlic shrimp includes those tasty dried chiles that we know and love!
Servings 4 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 guajillo stem and seeds removed
- 6 chile de arbol stems removed
- 8-10 cloves of garlic minced or sliced thin
- 4 tbsps unsalted butter
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 pound shrimp cleaned and deveined
- 3 tbsps olive oil
Instructions
- Slice the guajillo into thin rings or small strips. If you leave the chile de arbol whole it will not add as much heat to the dish as a whole. if you want more heat, then cut them in half.
- At medium low heat, combine, olive oil, 2 tbsps of butter, dried chiles, and garlic to the skillet. Heat on medium low to infuse the oil slowly. The garlic will toast and the chiles will soften.
- Add remaining butter and lime juice. Stir to combine. Add the shrimp. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Continue cooking on medium low, turning as needed. Fold in the parsley or cilantro . Remove from heat.
- Serve with your favorite side of rice and a salad. Serve as an appetizer with toasted slices of bolillo or fried green plantains.
Notes
If you are not familiar with cooking with dried Mexican chiles, just know that the smaller the pepper, the more spicy it is. Nine out of ten times that is the case. But also know that sometimes, those larger peppers, like ancho, pasilla and chile California can be packing a little more heat than you think.
To prepare 2 fried green plantains. Carefully score peel in 4 sections. peel away the skins. Slice into rounds or into quarters as seen in video. Fry for 3-4 minutes per side in preheated oil. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Using a tostonera or a small rolling pin, flatten the plantains. Return them to the hot oil and fry for 2-3 minutes per side. Season lightly with salt.