March 8, 2008

Smoked Paprika Shrimp

I'm in love with smoked Spanish paprika (pimenton)! I love the smokiness and heat it gives to food. This is by far my favorite recipe I've found so far using it. You can get the sweet (pimenton dulce) or hot (pimenton picante) paprika. It took me awhile to find the dulce version and I really loved the heat in the hot stuff, but to suit more people you might want to go lighter on the paprika if you are using the hot pimenton. Amazon has a three pack of tradtional, dulce, and picante to try.

Pimenton Shrimp
Serves 4 as a main course 6-8 as an appetizer
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
4-6 tablespoons good extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons Spanish smoked paprika
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
salt to taste
good crusty bread

1.Add oil, garlic, and paprika to a large, cold skillet. Heat over medium flame until garlic starts to soften and become fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
2.Add shrimp in a single layer and cook through (~1-2 minutes per side). Do not crowd the pan. Cook shrimp in more than one batch if there isn't enough room.
3.Turn off heat and add chopped parsley. Stir and taste for seasoning. Serve with crusty bread to sop up the oil. Extra oil can be added at the end.

http://www.grouprecipes.com/43315/pimenton-shrimp.html