Gambas al Ajillo con Tomates
SHRIMP WITH GARLIC, SUN-DRIED TOMATOES, & ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE
Ingredients:
1 lb large fresh wild shrimp, shells removed and deveined
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic
1/2 sup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained and rough chopped
1 cup andouille sausage or dried semi-cured/uncured Spanish chorizo, diced
2 cups white wine, divided
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp smoked paprika or hot Hungarian paprika if you like it spicy
fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish
1 tbsp virgin olive oil
grilled French or sourdough bread for serving
Instructions:
Pour one tablespoon of olive oil into a large frying pan and sauté onion, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes over medium-high heat until onion is wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and the paprika if you like spicy. Add diced andouille or chorizo and 1 cup of the white wine. Allow the sauce to reduce over high heat for about 5 minutes. Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside.
Using the same pan, add another tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the shrimp, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add another cup of white wine to deglaze the pan, then return the sauce to the pan and stir in a tablespoon of chopped fresh basil. Allow the sauce to reduce to your liking.
Serve warm over grilled French or sourdough bread and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.
WHAT ARE TAPAS?
Tapas are snacks, canapés, or small plates that originate in Spain. But many people don't realize that tapas come in many different forms and can vary greatly throughout Spain, even from town to town.
WHAT'S IN TAPAS?
In Spain, tapas can include practically anything -- from a chunk of tuna, a cocktail onion, and an olive skewered on a long toothpick, to piping hot chorizo sausage served in a small clay dish, to a gourmet slow-cooked beef cheek served over a sweet potato puree. Tapas are served day in and day out in bars and cafés throughout Spain -- though each has a different interpretation of the word and different prices. Though the concept of tapas varies throughout the country, they are so much a part of the culture and social scene that the Spanish people even use the verb tapear, which means to go and eat tapas. Tapas keep the Spanish fueled for their long journeys from bar to bar before their midday meal, as well as in the evening before dinner.
ARE TAPAS INCLUDED WITH THE COST OF A MEAL?
In most regions of Spain, you must order and pay for your tapas, which may be listed on the menu under the tapas section or column, or called a ración, which is a larger serving and meant to be shared. The price of a tapas portion varies and generally depends on the size of the tapas served and the ingredients used (simple fried chorizo versus grass fed beef, for example). Yet, in the most traditional Spanish cities, you aren't charged for tapas -- you get a free tapa with the price of your drink. Popular cities with this practice include Madrid (only in the city's most traditional tapas bars), Alcalá de Henares and Granada.
THE ORIGIN OF TAPAS
There are several stories about the origin of tapas, which are a part of the folklore. One legend involves King Alfonso X, El Sabio or “The Wise One,” who made sure that Castilian taverns serving wine always accompanied it with something to eat so that the wine would not go straight to the clients’ heads and potentially cause rowdiness and disagreements. Another story claims that while on a long trip, King Alfonso had stopped to rest in the town of Ventorillo del Chato in the southern province of Cádiz, and he ordered a glass of jerez or sherry. There was a gusty wind, so the innkeeper served him his glass of sherry covered by a slice of ham to prevent the sherry from getting dirty with sand in the air. King Alfonso apparently liked it, and when he asked for a second glass, he requested another tapa (which means 'lid' or "cover") just like the first. Prepare one or several tapas then enjoy them like the Spanish do – with a big glass of wine and a relaxed attitude. Delicious!