If you can't visit Spain this summer, then Aatxe is your best bet for authentic, delicious tapas closer to home.
The menu stars their Gambas al Ajillo (garlic shrimp), a dish Chef Ryan Pollnow first tasted at La Casa del Abuelo restaurant in Madrid prior to opening Aatxe. The dish was so good he knew it had to be on his own menu. And now you can make it at home with the recipe below.
Gambas al Ajillo
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
10 garlic cloves, shaved thin
1 large shallot, julienned thin
1 tsp. minced preserved lemon skin (pith removed)
2 each Nora chili*
8 ounces small white shrimp, peeled and de-veined
Juice of 1 lemon
1. Heat a 9.5 inch cazuela or cast iron pan over medium heat (or 2 4.5" cazuelas).
2. Add the extra virgin olive oil and allow it to heat up for 1 minute.
3. Add garlic, shallots and preserved lemon and cook until lightly browned and fragrant.
4. Add nora chili and continue to cook for 30 seconds.
5. Add shrimp and continue to cook, stirring often until white and opaque.
6. Season with salt and remove from the heat.
7. Add lemon juice, check for seasoning and serve immediately.
*If you prefer a more mild, background heat, you can just cut the chili in half and remove before serving. For a more intense heat, coarsely grind the chilies in a mortar and pestle ahead of time.
