Simple Cooking - Shrimp in Spicy Tomato Sauce

By Anthony Todd in Food on Jan 23, 2009 8:00PM

For a lot of reasons, all of our favorite shrimp dishes are Spanish. The preparation method is quick, the garlic and spices always add zing and the tastes are wonderfully indulgent, without actually being unhealthy. This recipe, adapted from Penelope Casas’ classic Tapas, requires a little bit more prep than a standard shrimp sauté, but it’s worth it. You and your friends will be scraping the bottom of the pot with hunks of bread to get the last of the savory, slightly alcoholic tomato sauce.

Gambas Paco Alcalde
(Shrimp in Spicy Tomato Sauce)

4 tbsp olive oil
1/4 yellow onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp flour
1 heaping tablespoon paprika
1/2 cup tomato sauce (or a small can)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup clam juice (optional)
1-2 dried chile peppers, chopped
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Minced Parsley
1 tsp sugar
1 pound of shrimp

For this recipe, you can use whatever shrimp you can get - size is unimportant. Just adjust the cooking time accordingly. We used smaller 36-40 shrimp this time around. Be SURE that you use raw shrimp, rather than pre-cooked.

Heat 1/2 the oil in a sauté pan and cook the onion and garlic over medium heat until soft. Stir in the flour and paprika - mix well. Add the tomato sauce, wine, clam juice, chile pepper, thyme, bay leaf, parsley and sugar. Salt and Pepper to taste. Mix it all up, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

In another pan, add the rest of the oil and sauté the shrimp over high heat. Fry for about one minute, and then put the shrimp in with the sauce for another five minutes of cooking. Serve hot, with lots of bread.