I do call myself a culinary goddess, but there are times when true chefs, the kind that are trained in real culinary school (not just the goddess kitchen!) can actually teach me techniques and about rare ingredients. In this segment, I got to throw down some delish with Chef Michael Lugo, from Michael’s Tasting Room in St. Augustine, Florida. Chef Michael introduced me to datil peppers, which I’d never heard of before! Think habanero– lots of heat, so you only need a little! Chef Michael was fantastic –and so was his recipe! See video below for the tutorial…
Gambas al Ajillo (That’s Garlic Shrimp, y’all!)
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoon of our savory sea salt blend (It is a blend of sea salt, black pepper, rosemary, and citrus zest)
- 1/2 lb Jumbo Shrimp (We use U15, local St. Augustine shrimp, so it’s around 8 shrimp)
- Season shrimp to allow flavors to develop before cooking
- 2 cloves thinly sliced garlic
- ¼ cup Florida Orange Juice
- Spanish Olive Oil
- Datil Peppers
- Sweet Onion
- Fresh Italian Parsley
Instructions
- Always start by seasoning your pan. Shrimp are very delicate and require minimal cooking, but we want to impact as much flavor into them.
- Turn on your skillet to medium high heat. When pan is warm add 3-4 table spoons of olive oil and continue to heat.
- Add sliced garlic, be sure and remove as soon as the garlic begins to turn golden. Use a slotted spoon to remove garlic chips, and drain on paper towel for later. Reserve oil for later.
- In the same pan add seasoned shrimp and sauté for about 1-2 min on one side without moving too much. Flip shrimp over and add 1 teaspoon of fresh chopped garlic, ½ teaspoon of chopped datils, and ¼ thinly sliced sweet onion.
- Remove shrimp after around 1-2 minutes or when they are red and firm, but not well done. Reserve shrimp on plate. Add a tablespoon or 2 of garlic oil to help onions soften. Deglaze pan with Florida orange juice and reduce by ½.
- Add shrimp back to pan and allow flavors to meld together. Serve on a plate and top with garlic chips and chopped fresh herbs.
- Serve with crusty bread and a cold glass of Albariño, which is one of the best Spanish white wines.