May 21, 2012

Better and Better

What's better than garlic?

Slow cooked garlic.

Better than that?

Slow cooked garlic with lime juice and chipotles.  Mojo de ajo.

Better still?

Let shrimp in on it.

Camarones al Mojo de Ajo (Quick-Fried Shrimp with Sweet Toasty Garlic) from Rick Bayless

Notes: The shrimp were very good.  (Still not my favorite from Rick Bayless...stay tuned in June...wink wink.)  I need to find more uses for Mojo de Ajo.  I mean besides slurpping it up as soup like I wanted to do.  That was seriously good stuff, yall.  I want to try it on everything.

The dish was spicy with the sweet flavor of slow roasted garlic and sourness from the lime juice.  Would make again for sure.


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Camarones al Mojo de Ajo (Quick-Fried Shrimp with Sweet Toasty Garlic) 
from Mexico One Plate at a Time by Rick Bayless

2 heads garlic, cloves peeled
1 c extra virgin olive oil
salt
juice of 1 lime (large)
1-2 canned chipotle chilies in adobo, seeded and cut into thin strips
2 limes, cut into wedges
2 lbs medium sized shrimp, peeled
3 TBSP chopped cilantro or parsley

Chop the garlic by hand or with a food processor until the pieces are about 1/8" in size. You should have about 1/2 c chopped garlic. Scoop into a small saucepan. Add the oil and 1/2 tsp salt. Set over medium-low heat.  Stir occasionally and bring the mixture to barely a simmer.  Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is a soft pale golden color--about 30 minutes.  The slower the cooking, the sweeter the garlic.

Add lime juice and simmer until most of the juice has evaporated--about 5 minutes.  Stir in the chiles, then taste and add more salt if needed.  Keep the mojo on low heat so the garlic is warm when the shrimp are ready.

Set a large, heavy, nonstick skillet over medium high heat and spoon 1 1/2 TBSP of the oil (but no garlic) from the mojo.  Add half the shrimp and sprinkle with salt.  Stir gently and continuously until the shrimp are just cooked through, 3-4 minutes.  Stir in half the cilantro or parsley.  Remove to a serving platter.  Repeat with another 1 1/2 TBSP of the oil and the remaining shrimp.  When the shrimp are done, use a slotted spoon to scoop out the warm garlic and chiles.  Scatter over the shrimp.  If you are a garlic lover, you are about to have the treat of your life.

You may have as much as 1/3 c mojo left--use it to saute anything.

Make ahead: the mojo will keep refrigerated for a couple of weeks.  The oil will become solid, but will liquefy at room temperature.  Warm slowly before using.


This week's See Ya In the Gumbo can be found here.



Linking with I Heart Cooking Clubs.   This week's theme: POTLUCK!

Rick Bayless @IHCC button rounded

Cookbook Sundays @ Couscous and Consciousness
CookbookSundays

Carole's Chatter: Food on Friday Lemon & Lime theme

Also linking with these parties.  Join in!
Things that make you say: Photobucket  Hearth and Soul blog hop at Premeditated Leftovers
Nap-Time Creations
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Gallery of Favorites
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Freedom Fridays slice of southern button


26 comments:

  1. Garlic, lime and chipotle = yummy! Add shrimp and you have SUPER yummy!!

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  2. Well, you know that I'm a shrimp-a-holic, and these look FAB! Love that Mojo de Ajo! A must try!

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  3. I love shrimps and these look delicious! Mojo de Ajo sounds fantastic, another favourite of mine, garlic! Great pick!

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  4. most delicious - garlic and shrimp with Mexican flavors... what more could I want, well, maybe a cerveza or two...

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  5. This looks completely amazing!! Oh I'm so hungry now. What are you doing to me lady?!??

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  6. Shrimp with Sweet Toasty Garlic sounds like music to my ears! Seriously, those are magic words that will open any door. I need to try this recipe!

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  7. Rick Bayless certainly has some amazing Cajun recipes, and you did such an incredible job on the shrimp dish...garlic, chipotle, lime, such flavors combined cannot get any better!

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  8. Slow-cooked garlic, lime and chipotle. Girl you are ROCKING my world with this!

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  9. I always know I can find something outstanding cooking here when I visit:) These sound out of this world.
    Also I wished to let you know I will be having TWO Blog hops this week. I will be co-hosting at Katherine's Corner Thursday Favorite Things today and of course Freedom Fridays tomorrow. So hoping to see you there:)

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  10. That looks great! I planned on shrimp tonight so maybe I can try this. I have a similar recipe that calls for a splash of tequila when the shrimp are first sauteing and Mexican crema, a thicker than traditional sour cream at the end if you want to mix things up a bit. : )

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  11. I'm with you about the garlic, I'll take it just about any way I can get it -- slow cooked, very yummy. Thanks for sharing this on Hearth & Soul Hop. :)

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  12. I guess because I'm Greek I love garlic and any recipe that uses it.! Following your blog now :-)

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  13. One of my favorite dishes EVER...especially w/ a loaf of crusty bread and some cold white wine or beer. mmmmm...looks SO good...

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  14. Yum, i never get bored with garlic!
    Youre shrimp look extremly yummy.

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  15. Those are my favourite flavours, and garlic goes with everything!
    Delicious. ☺

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  16. Thank you for sharing your out of this world shrimp at Freedom Fridays. I just have to make this for my hubby:) Maybe I can "nail it" also. Lol

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  17. Ok, Question: How do you get all your party buttons to behave in one little tight box?? I so need to do this.

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  18. This looks amazing! I love the flavors you have used in this recipe. My oldest son is going to be thrilled when I make this!

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  19. This dish is popping with flavor... great for the summer. Thanks for sharing it on foodie friday.

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  20. I adore slow cooked garlic, it makes everything so wonderfully sweet. Your Quick Fried Shrimp sound really delicious. I can just imagine eating them with a lovely cold glass of white wine on a summer's evening :-)

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  21. Even better? Roasted garlic. I've been known to spread it on toast. Love me some garlic.

    This sounds delicious! All the flavors are just perfect together. I need to pin this!

    Sorry it's taken me so long to stop by and say yum. Thanks for linking up and sharing this!

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  22. OH. MY. GOD!!! That sounds about as close to heaven as you could get without having to die first. I cannot wait to try this - it sounds positively divine.

    Thanks so much for sharing this at Cookbook Sundays.

    Sue xo

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  23. Bring on the garlic! This looks fabulous to me. ;-)

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  24. Hi there. Food on Friday: Lemons and Limes is now open for entries. This looks like a neat one! I do hope you link it in. This is the link . Cheers

    PS I am following you now. If you like Carole's Chatter it would be great if you followed me back

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  25. Thank you for linking this in. Have a great week.

    PS Thank you, too, for following Carole's Chatter.

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