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Gambas al ajillo arrives at the table sizzling in its clay dish (cazuela), the olive oil still popping around the prawns and filling the room with garlic and chili smoke — this immediate service is not theater but necessity, because the dish continues cooking in residual heat and must be eaten quickly. The garlic must be sliced, not minced, so it infuses the oil without burning; the guindilla chili is dried and mild, adding warmth without heat; the prawns go in last and cook in seconds. The oil, saturated with garlic and prawn juices, is the point: it soaks into the bread eaten alongside, concentrating everything that made the prawns good. This is Castilian bar food, found on every tapas menu, where the quality of the prawns and the restraint with oil-to-prawn ratio distinguish the good versions from the mediocre.
Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season with a little salt.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the thinly sliced garlic and cook until it becomes fragrant and golden brown, but not burnt. This should take about 1-2 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium-high and add the shrimp to the skillet.
Cook the shrimp for about 2-3 minutes on one side until they start to turn pink.
Add the red pepper flakes and dry sherry or white wine (if using) to the skillet.
Stir the shrimp and cook for another 2-3 minutes until they are fully cooked and opaque.
Remove the skillet from heat and sprinkle the shrimp with chopped fresh parsley.
Prawns cooked in garlic-chili olive oil in a clay dish; served sizzling; the oil is as important as the prawns themselves.
From Castilian tapa tradition; common across Madrid and central Spain's bar culture.
Large raw prawns (shell on or peeled), sliced garlic, dried guindilla chili, olive oil, sea salt, and parsley.
Have everything ready before the prawns go in — they cook in 60-90 seconds; overcooked prawns turn rubbery instantly.
Crusty bread to soak the oil (obligatory), cold Manzanilla sherry or dry white wine.