Gambas al Ajillo

An excursion to Di Bruno Bros. awakened a latent passion for this Spanish classic. For many years gambas al ajillo had been a personal favourite of mine at Dali Restaurant and Tapas Bar in Somerville, Massachusetts. The dish was such a delight that I never forwent ordering it--despite the effects of consuming large quantities of garlic--simply for social niceties. But now, left to our own devices many miles from Boston, we were guided in our 'at-home' version by the fine folks at Cooks Illustrated. Here's how we did it:

Ingredients:
14 cloves of garlic (2 minced, 4 sliced, and 8 sliced)
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and vein removed
6 Tbsp and 2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 bay leaf
3-5 crushed red chillies (and 1-3 whole for garnish)
1 tsp sherry vinegar or 2 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp fresh parsley

1. Place the 1 lb of shrimp, kosher salt, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, and 2 cloves of minced garlic in a bowl. Toss and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
   
   
2. Gently cook 4 cloves of sliced garlic in 6 Tbsp of olive oil in a 12" skillet on medium low. When the slices are a light golden colour, remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon. This will infuse the oil with a sweet garlic flavour. Place the pan aside until the shrimp have finished marinating.
   
   
3. Slice the remaining 8 cloves of garlic and put them into the skillet on low heat with a bay leaf and the red chillies until the slices are tender, not brown. Increase the heat to medium low and add the shrimp. Cook until the oil bubbles gently (about 2 minutes) and then flip the shrimp over and cook for another 2 minutes. Then turn the heat up to high. Add the vinegar or lemon juice and the fresh parsley. Cook until boiling vigorously (15–20 seconds). Serve immediately.

*Do note that long after the shrimp are gone, the remaining oil and golden pieces of garlic are simply divine on a fresh piece of bread--have some on hand.