Camarones Al Mojo de Ajo, Mexican Garlic Shrimp

Camarones Al Mojo de Ajo are Mexican Garlic Shrimp and they are delish! This has been one of my favorite dishes since I was a child and my Mom would make it as a special treat. It was a special treat because we are from a town in the middle of the country away from the sea. Anyways, if you love shrimp and garlic this is most definitely the dish for you. The one down side is that this recipe contains a lot of fat and therefor adds more calories. My Mom would use butter and it will give the shrimp a succulent flavor, but I don't really want those extra calories so instead I use olive oil which has less calories than butter. It is your choice how you decide to cook it with butter or olive oil, either way you will be very satisfied.



The other changes I made was adding the fresh finely chopped cilantro to the shrimp to add another burst of flavor. Also the typical or traditional way to serve the shrimp is with white rice. Most times I cook this dish that is how I serve it but on this particular day I was really craving chilled spaghetti noodles instead of rice. If you are interested in serving it this way just boil the noodles , drain them then toss them with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt then allow to cool before serving. Or another way to serve these shrimp is on their own as an appetizer.


Your Ingredients:
1 Lb. or 500 grams raw shrimp
3-4 Tbs. Olive oil (butter)
1 whole head garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. pepper flakes (or more)
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch of black pepper
2 limes, 1 juiced
Handful fresh chopped cilantro

1. Peel the shrimp but leave the tails intact, then de-vein all of the shrimp and rinse them under running water. Using paper towels pat dry the shrimp and set aside. Peel and mince the garlic head and juice one lime reserving the other.

2. In a large pan heat 1 Tbs. of the olive oil over medium heat and add the minced garlic frying for 5 minutes. Be very careful not to burn the garlic, if it browns and burns it will have a very bitter taste. You can avoid this by stirring frequently and if you feel more comfortable turning the heat down. Scoop the garlic onto a plate and set aside.

3. In the same pan add the remaining 2-3 Tbs. of Olive oil sprinkle in the pepper flakes and fry for 3 minute. Then add the shrimp and sprinkle the salt and black pepper over the shrimp, stir the ingredients to well combine. Fry the shrimp until they are firm and pink. Once the shrimp is cooked add the lime juice and garlic back to the pan and give the ingredients a good stir. Fry for another 3 minutes then turn heat off.



The shrimp should be well coated in the oil and there should be a bit extra oil floating on the bottom, so if needed add a little more oil. Once the shrimp are ready to serve mix the fresh chopped cilantro to the pan and stir to well combine with the shrimp. Serve with steamed white rice or a simple olive oil coated pasta.



Did I mention that this meal is also a great Summer time dinner?, well it is because there is minimal cooking and it's ready in no time. So we can all have more outdoor time instead of kitchen time, hope you enjoy it. Oh one last thing, please excuse the horrible photos I have a new flash gun I have been trying to learn to use. I absolutely hated it so I don't think you'll be seeing more "flash" photos.

Have a great weekend everyone!