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Camarones Al Mojo de Ajo, Mexican Garlic Shrimp

July 9, 2010 by Nancy Lopez-McHugh 24 Comments

Camarones Al Mojo de Ajo are Mexican Garlic Shrimp and they are delish! This has been one of my favorite dishes since I was a child and my Mom would make it as a special treat. It was a special treat because we are from a town in the middle of the country away from the sea. Anyways, if you love shrimp and garlic this is most definitely the dish for you. The one down side is that this recipe contains a lot of fat and therefor adds more calories. My Mom would use butter and it will give the shrimp a succulent flavor, but I don’t really want those extra calories so instead I use olive oil which has less calories than butter. It is your choice how you decide to cook it with butter or olive oil, either way you will be very satisfied.

The other changes I made was adding the fresh finely chopped cilantro to the shrimp to add another burst of flavor. Also the typical or traditional way to serve the shrimp is with white rice. Most times I cook this dish that is how I serve it but on this particular day I was really craving chilled spaghetti noodles instead of rice. If you are interested in serving it this way just boil the noodles , drain them then toss them with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt then allow to cool before serving. Or another way to serve these shrimp is on their own as an appetizer.


Your Ingredients:
1 Lb. or 500 grams raw shrimp
3-4 Tbs. Olive oil (butter)
1 whole head garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. pepper flakes (or more)
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch of black pepper
2 limes, 1 juiced and 2nd cut into wedges and served on finished dish OR juice both for an extra lemony taste
Handful fresh chopped cilantro

1. Peel the shrimp but leave the tails intact, then de-vein all of the shrimp and rinse them under running water. Using paper towels pat dry the shrimp and set aside. Peel and mince the garlic head and juice one lime and reserve the other.

2. In a large pan heat 1 Tbs. of the olive oil over medium heat and add the minced garlic frying for 5 minutes. Be very careful not to burn the garlic, if it browns and burns it will have a very bitter taste. You can avoid this by stirring frequently and if you feel more comfortable turning the heat down. Scoop the garlic onto a plate and set aside.

3. In the same pan add the remaining 2-3 Tbs. of Olive oil sprinkle in the pepper flakes and fry for 3 minute. Then add the shrimp and sprinkle the salt and black pepper over the shrimp, stir the ingredients to well combine. Fry the shrimp until they are firm and pink. Once the shrimp is cooked add the lime juice and garlic back to the pan and give the ingredients a good stir. Fry for another 3 minutes then turn heat off.

The shrimp should be well coated in the oil and there should be a bit extra oil floating on the bottom, so if needed add a little more oil. Once the shrimp are ready to serve mix the fresh chopped cilantro and second juiced lime into the pan and stir to well combine with the shrimp. Serve with steamed white rice or a simple olive oil coated pasta. (If choosing not to juice both limes, served the second on on top of the shrimp.)

Did I mention that this meal is also a great Summer time dinner?, well it is because there is minimal cooking and it’s ready in no time. So we can all have more outdoor time instead of kitchen time, hope you enjoy it. Oh one last thing, please excuse the horrible photos I have a new flash gun I have been trying to learn to use. I absolutely hated it so I don’t think you’ll be seeing more “flash” photos.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Filed Under: Fish/Seafood, Mexican

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Comments

  1. Roxan says

    July 9, 2010 at 15:34

    MM I love the simplicity of this dish, this is definitely one to add to my weeknight rotation. I love all of the ingredients used! Especially that there is a WHOLE head of garlic in there.

    Reply
  2. Cajun Chef Ryan says

    July 9, 2010 at 17:10

    Simple ingredients, yet makes for an absolute tasty and delightful dish!

    Bon appetit!
    CCR
    =:~)

    Reply
  3. A Thought For Food says

    July 9, 2010 at 18:13

    There's nothing like a spicy shrimp dish with lots of oil and garlic. Give me that and a nice cold beer, and I'm a happy man.

    Reply
  4. Magic of Spice says

    July 9, 2010 at 19:00

    Perfect dish…saved:) I love shrimp this way, and with pasta, happy!

    Reply
  5. Tanantha @ I Just Love My Apron says

    July 9, 2010 at 19:17

    Oh what a delicious looking dish! I love shrimps and I keep some in a freezer at home. This is perfect timing!

    Reply
  6. Rick says

    July 9, 2010 at 21:53

    With a shrimp recipe like that, I'm having a great weekend!

    Reply
  7. Frank says

    July 9, 2010 at 22:42

    Yum! This sounds very flavorful. Will definitely try it!

    Reply
  8. Belinda @zomppa says

    July 10, 2010 at 03:48

    This is one of the best ways to eat – er, cook – shrimp.

    Reply
  9. Gina Stanley says

    July 10, 2010 at 16:36

    Holy smokes this looks tasty! Wow and your photos are beautiful! I love shrimp, especially Mexican style!

    Reply
  10. Pacheco Patty says

    July 10, 2010 at 18:36

    Beautiful, I love the whole head of minced garlic and the lime juice, just a fantastic dish:-)

    Reply
  11. Chef Dennis says

    July 11, 2010 at 02:52

    Hi Nancy
    what a gorgeous shrimp dish!
    When you have time please stop by my blog, I have some awards for you if you would like them!
    Dennis

    Reply
  12. Cookin' Canuck says

    July 11, 2010 at 14:10

    Garlic, shrimp, cilantro – that sounds like a childhood dream made in heaven!

    Reply
  13. Healthy Mamma says

    July 17, 2010 at 19:50

    My mouth is watering! Looks wonderful! I'll have to give it a try!

    Reply
  14. Spicie Foodie says

    July 17, 2010 at 21:42

    Thank you all for your sweet comments :)

    @ Chef Deni,Yay more awards! Thanks I'll stop by.

    Reply
  15. Anonymous says

    August 22, 2010 at 22:28

    Oh My! I was first introduced to this years ago in Zihuatanejo. A new Mexican restaurant has opened here in Grand Rapids, MI and I ordered Al Mojo de Ajo. It was authentic and fantastic! Thanks for posting this recipe. I love to cook and I will see if my skills are up to your mom's and the folks in Zihua. Thanks for sharing this.
    John Westman

    Reply
  16. Spicie Foodie says

    August 29, 2010 at 20:39

    Hi John,
    Great to hear you'll be trying it out. You'll see how easy and delicious it is :)

    Reply
  17. Lucy Pinto says

    June 11, 2013 at 08:36

    Are you kidding about the photo’s. They look like they were taken by a professional. Two thumbs up. I havent tried this recipe, but I intend to make this for dinner this weekend. I cant wait to taste it. There is nothing as flavorful as Roasted Garlic, Oh, I intend to roast my head of garlic (cut in half and sprinkled with EVOO a little S & Pepper to taste. Wrap in tin foil, roast in oven 350 o for one hour) when cooking the shrimp, use the roasted garlic in place of the raw garlic (your supposed to saute) I am going to serve my Garlic Shrimp over El dante Angel Hair Pasta with a final sprinkle of fresh grated Parmesan Cheese. Yummy Yummy

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      June 11, 2013 at 23:16

      Thank you Lucy, you’re much too kind. Your plan sounds delicious! I love roasted garlic and know your plan will taste scrumptious. Enjoy.

      Reply
  18. Sandi says

    December 3, 2013 at 14:28

    Getting ready to fix this for dinner – but the recipe doesn’t tell me what to do with the second lime??

    Reply
    • Spicie Foodie says

      December 5, 2013 at 10:05

      Hi Sandi,

      You can serve the second lime, cut into wedges, or if you want a more lemony taste add it to the pan too. Enjoy!

      Reply
  19. Ken B. in Michigan says

    September 18, 2014 at 01:54

    Camarones al mojo de ajo is one of my favorite dishes. The recipe I came up with is very similar to this one. I do like to serve it a bit differently though. I cook a cup of Jasmine rice in chicken broth, so that it is done before the shrimp. When the shrimp are done, I use a spoon with holes to scoop them out, leaving as much garlic and oil in the still warm skillet as I can. I put the rice in the skillet, stir it around thoroughly with a spatula, so that it absorbs all the tasty stuff left in the skillet. Then, I spread the shrimp across the top of the rice, and let my guests have at it. All have been quite pleased.

    Reply
    • Ken B. in Michigan says

      September 18, 2014 at 02:02

      I forgot to say that I do two pounds of shrimp, to go with the one cup (dry) Jasmine rice.

      Reply
  20. Barbs says

    May 1, 2016 at 09:18

    Great recipe!
    Just wanted to point out that oil and butter have the same calories. ~120 calories per Tablespoon, either one, so using oil doesn’t reduce the calorie content.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Shrimp Creole Inspired by Emeril Lagasse says:
    April 2, 2012 at 05:50

    […] by Cook & Be Merry – Chipotle Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Salsa by The Comfort of Cooking – Camarones Al Mojo de Ajo, Mexican Garlic Shrimp by Spicie […]

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