A classic Spanish tapa, cooked quickly in small ramekins and served sizzling. In Spain, the ramekins are put over direct heat, which, frankly, makes me nervous; I use a heavy skillet and take that right to the table. The Spanish are practically obsessed with the type of shrimp they use and prefer them to be fresh rather than frozen; but most of us don’t have much choice. That’s okay: as long as the shrimp are of high quality, the dish will be delicious. Double the amounts here if you want to serve this as a main course, and, no matter when you serve it, be sure to offer bread as well; the sauce is incredible.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

　　6 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

　　1 small dried chile, coarsely chopped, or 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste

　　1 pound peeled shrimp, preferably small (more than 40 per pound), or larger shrimp, cut up

　　1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste

　　Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

　　

Step 1

Combine the oil, garlic, and chile in an 8- to 10-inch skillet, preferably cast iron, and turn the heat to medium. When the garlic begins to sizzle and turn golden, add the shrimp. Cook, stirring, until the shrimp just turn pink and opaque, 2 to 4 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Stir in the salt, garnish with the parsley, and serve immediately, directly from the pan.

　　

Shrimp with Garlic, Tomatoes, and Chiles

Step 3

Use 2 or 3 chiles, or to taste. When the garlic sizzles, add 1 cup cut-up seeded tomatoes (canned are fine; drain them first) and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture becomes saucy, about 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and proceed as directed. If you like, you can also increase the amount of tomatoes and use this as a pasta sauce.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.