Recipe(tried): Shrimp in Garlic Sauce (Gambas al Ajillo) - Like Tio Pepe's

I used to live in Baltimore and for 17 years in a row on Christmas Eve went to Tio's. Always had the Garlic Shrimp. The following recipe is as close as I can come up with:

SHRIMP IN GARLIC SAUCE - LIKE TIO PEPE'S
(GAMBAS AL AJILLO)

8 shrimp, (16-20 count)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
1 large head garlic, minced
1 pinch saffron
1 dried pepper (chile arbol)
extra virgin olive oil
1 ounce dry sherry
salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Peel Shrimp. Leave the very end of the tail on. Cut along the back of the shrimp tail 1/8-inch and remove vein. Clean and set aside in cold water.

Mince garlic, parsley. Heat olive oil in a small saucepan. Pour enough olive oil so that it is about 1/4 inch deep in the pan. Add one tooth of garlic. Use moderate heat to raise the temperature slowly. When the garlic tooth begins to sizzle, lower the heat slightly and add the minced garlic, parsley, saffron and shrimp. Break the dried pepper in half and toss it in the pan. Salt and pepper to taste. Use a spoon to gently to stir the ingredients, turning the shrimp over to cook evenly. The heat should be high enough for the ingredients to sizzle, but so high that the oil smokes and burns the ingredients. Add the dry sherry towards the end when the shrimp have changed color and are just about ready. Cooking time should be about 5 minutes. Transfer ingredients to a deep plate and serve immediately.

CHEF'S NOTE:
This is traditional cooked in a heat resilient ceramic bowl and is served sizzling. To reproduce this sizzling presentation you can preheat the ceramic bowl in the oven and transfer ingredients to it when ready. Be sure to have ready a wide brim serving plate on which to place and carry the hot ceramic bowl. An oven pad placed between the bowl and the serving plate is advised.

The Spanish tend to use a cazuela when cooking this dish as this is the most traditional method. A cazuela is an earthenware dish that can be used either on top of the oven over a gas flame or for baking inside the oven.

Servings: 4