Mexican style shrimp in garlic sauce (camarones al mojo de ajo)
Of course garlic is commonly used in mexican food, but as opposed to italian cuisine, mexican cuisine does not use garlic as frequently... So to Mexicans, garlic is still considered a "specific" ingredient, not a commodity that is always there. The shrimp in garlic sauce recipe is from the Gulf of Mexico area, most particularily Veracruz. It is frequently accompanied by a chipotle salsa, salad of cucumbers, lettuce and tomatoes. This recipe can be used as first course or main course, just adjust quantities accordingly...
Mexican recipe for Shrimp in Garlic Sauce
Ingredients for 4 guests:
3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons of olive oil
25 garlic cloves
2 tablespoon shallot finely chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt, to your taste
freshly ground pepper to the taste
1 teaspoon parika
2 lb. Large shrimp; shelled and deveined
canola oil to cook the shrimp in
Preparation:
1) Wash, shell and devein the shrimp carefully; take care to clean them perfectly.
2) Using a blender liquefy the onion, the shallot, the mayonnaise, the mustard, the paprika, the garlic cloves and the salt and pepper into a sauce. Once liquefied, pour this sauce in a bowl and gently mix the shrimps in to coat them evenly; once mixed allow this to marinate for approximately 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
3) Pour the oil in a frying pan and bring it up to heat for about 3 minutes. When the oil has reached temperature, careful not to go as far as it smoking, pour everything: the shrimps with the sauce and fry it all until the shrimp change color; no longer than 2 minutes. Do this step in batches if necessary...
Serve the shrimp with the fried sauce, along with the accompanying salad or vegetables of your choice...
