Smoky Spanish Shrimp

This shrimp dish has been in my regular rotation for years. Smoky, garlicky, and balanced with sherry vinegar, there are a couple of reasons it consistently tastes better than you'd expect from something so fast.

Dry brining your shrimp has a huge impact on the result here. Tossing them with salt and a pinch of baking soda before they hit the pan is a technique borrowed from Chinese cooking, specifically the Cantonese method of velveting proteins before stir-frying. The baking soda raises the pH of the shrimp, which changes how the proteins bond during cooking. The result is noticeably plumper, juicier shrimp that stay tender rather than going tight and rubbery. Ten to fifteen minutes on the counter is enough, or up to an hour in the fridge if you're planning ahead.

The other non-negotiable is the paprika. La Chinata is the tin cooks seek out once they know how good smoked paprika can actually be, and once you have it, you'll use it constantly. The peppers are grown in La Vera, a small DOP region in Extremadura, and the smoking process alone takes two weeks. They're turned by hand daily in oak-fired smokehouses before being stone-ground into the tin. Most supermarket smoked paprika skips this entirely, and the difference is immediate: warm, earthy, balanced and complex.

Sherry vinegar finishes the dish. Belazu's version is made in the traditional solera system, aged in American oak, and is a Great Taste 3-star winner, their highest accolade. It's aromatic with notes of vanilla and dried fruit, and a splash at the end of cooking brings everything into sharp focus without tipping into acidity.

Serve with crusty bread to soak up the juices. Add a few dishes alongside, olives, good cheese, a simple salad, and it becomes a special little meal.

Smoky Spanish Shrimp
Serves 4 as a small dish

1 lb (454g) peeled large shrimp, tails on if desired 
½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ cup olive oil
6 large cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1¼ tsp La Chinata smoked Spanish paprika
2 tbsp Belazu sherry vinegar
2 tbsp coarsely chopped parsley

1. Pat shrimp dry. Toss with salt and baking soda and set aside on the counter for 10–15 minutes, or in the fridge for up to an hour.
   
   
2. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over low heat. Add garlic and cook gently for 3–4 minutes until crisp and golden. Transfer to a plate with tongs or a slotted spoon.
   
   
3. Add shrimp to the pan and fry on high heat for 1 minute, turning as needed until almost cooked through. Reduce heat to low, stir paprika into the oil and sauté briefly before tossing with the shrimp to coat. Add sherry vinegar and parsley and toss to combine.
   
   
4. Sprinkle with reserved garlic, scrape onto a serving dish, and serve hot or at room temperature.