Camarones Al Mojo De Ajo

Photo: ohmypuddin

Ingredients

3/4 cup peeled whole garlic cloves (about 2 large heads)

1 cup good-quality oil, preferably extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

3 limes

2 canned chipotle chiles en adobo, seeded and cut into thin strips

2 pounds (about 48) medium-large shrimp, peeled (leaving the last joint and tail in tact if you wish)

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (optional)

Preparation

Preparing the mojo de ajo. Either chop the garlic with a sharp knife into 1/8-inch bits or drop the cloves through the feed tube of a running food processor and process until the pieces are roughly 1/8 inch. You should have about 1/2 cup chopped garlic. Scoop into a small (1-quart) saucepan, measure in the oil (you need it all for even cooking) and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and set over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally as the mixture comes barely to a simmer (there should be just a hint of movement on the surface of the oil). Adjust the heat to the very lowest possible setting to keep the mixture at that very gentle simmer (bubbles will rise in the pot like mineral water) and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is a soft and pale golden (the

The shrimp. Devein the shrimp if you wish: one by one lay the shrimp on your work surface, make a shallow incision down the back and scrape out the (usually) dark intestinal track; pull or scrape it out and discard. Set a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and spoon in 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil (but not the garlic) from the mojo. Add half of the shrimp to the skillet, sprinkle generously with salt, then stir gently and continuously until the shrimp are just cooked through, 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in the cilantro or parsley if you’re using it. Scoop the shrimp onto a deep serving platter. Repeat with the remaining half of the shrimp and another 1 1/2 tablespoons of the garlicky oil. When all of the shrimp are cooked, use a slotted