Shrimp and Chorizo Tapa

Ingredients ~

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 pound chorizo, sliced on the diagonal into ¼ inch slices
• 12 raw, medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
• ½ cup dry sherry
• 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons parsley leaves, minced
• Crusty bread, for serving

Method ~

In a large (12-14”) skillet, heat 1 to 2 Tablespoon of the olive oil, sauté the sliced chorizo until it begins to brown around the edges, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the skillet.

Add the onion and sauté’ until they are caramelized around the edges and softened somewhat, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add ¼ cup of the sherry to deglaze the pan and cook for 1 minute. Add the shrimp, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the chorizo, the remaining ¼ cup of sherry and ¼ cup olive oil, lemon juice, parsley and remainder of the salt and pepper; stir to combine and remove from the heat.

Serve with toasted garlic: slice garlic thin, place on a cold sauté pan with olive oil to cover the bottom. Bring up the heat on the pan and toast until brown, then remove at once. Reserve the oil for cooking or on a salad.

Serve immediately, on small plates with any accumulated cooking juices spooned over the top. Pass the bread at the table.

~ With many thanks to Chef Ray Remler, Rivertown Inn Bed & Breakfast, Stillwater, MN