Garlic Shrimp with Mantequilla Criolla from Cooking con Omi

https://youtu.be/rrHZXSiD714

There are recipes you make because they look good, and then there are recipes that have a little more meaning behind them. This one definitely falls into the second category.

Today I’m cooking a recipe from my good friend Omi’s new cookbook, Cooking con Omi: A Love Letter to Puerto Rican Home Cooking. For this video, I chose her Camarones al Ajillo, found on page 119.

But there’s an important part to this recipe: before we can make the shrimp, we first have to turn to page 42 and make Omi’s Mantequilla Criolla.

And trust me, it’s worth it.

A Recipe That Starts with Mantequilla Criolla

Mantequilla Criolla is a savory compound butter loaded with flavors we know and love in Puerto Rican cooking: garlic, onion, peppers, cilantro, parsley, and spices.

Omi uses it as a base to add flavor to different dishes, and in this case, it’s one of the ingredients that makes her Camarones al Ajillo different.

The Mantequilla Criolla recipe makes approximately 2 cups, so you’ll have plenty left over to keep and use in other dishes.

Mantequilla Criolla Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped

• 1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped

• 1 cup / 220 g unsalted butter, softened

• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano brujo, chopped, from my garden

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

How to Make the Mantequilla Criolla

1. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat.

2. Add the garlic, onion, and bell peppers. Sauté for approximately 5 to 7 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and the onion is translucent. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the softened butter with the sautéed vegetables.

4. Add the cilantro, parsley, fresh oregano brujo, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix well until everything is evenly incorporated.

5. Transfer the butter mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper and shape it into a log. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until firm.

You can store the Mantequilla Criolla in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze it so you always have some ready when you want to add a little extra Puerto Rican flavor to another dish.

Garlic Shrimp (Camarones al Ajillo)

Now that our Mantequilla Criolla is ready, we can move on to the main recipe.

Omi’s Garlic Shrimp are found on page 119 of the book and make approximately 4 to 6 servings.

This is one of those recipes where you don’t need to overcomplicate things. Shrimp, garlic, butter, white wine, and a few other ingredients come together to create a dish packed with flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 lb / 450 g large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on

• 1 teaspoon adobo

• 1 teaspoon sazón

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• ¼ cup / 55 g Mantequilla Criolla

• 1 large onion, sliced

• ½ green bell pepper, sliced (optional)

• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced

• ½ cup / 120 ml white wine or cooking wine

• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Juice of ½ lemon

How to Make Camarones al Ajillo

1. Season the shrimp with the adobo and sazón and set aside.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and melt the Mantequilla Criolla.

3. Once the butter has melted, add the onion and green bell pepper, if using. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent.

4. Add the garlic and cook for approximately 1 minute, just until fragrant.

5. Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook for approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side, until they turn pink and opaque. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside.

6. In the same skillet, pour in the white wine and allow it to simmer for a couple of minutes to reduce slightly.

7. Stir in the cilantro and adjust the salt and black pepper to taste.

8. Return the shrimp to the skillet and pour the juice of half a lemon over them.

9. Give everything one final stir to coat the shrimp in that garlic, white wine, and Mantequilla Criolla sauce, then serve immediately.

Don’t Forget That Sauce

One thing Omi emphasizes in the book is don’t sleep on the white wine sauce.

And I completely agree.

Everything good is sitting at the bottom of that skillet: the garlic, the juices from the shrimp, the wine, and, of course, the Mantequilla Criolla. Have a good piece of bread nearby because none of that sauce should go to waste.

You can also serve these shrimp with white rice and stewed beans or alongside mofongo to turn them into a complete meal.

Another delicious way to enjoy them is over crispy tostadas with cotija cheese, cilantro, mayo-ketchup, and Mexican crema. The combination of textures and flavors is incredible.

Cooking from Omi’s Book

For me, making this recipe is about more than simply cooking a plate of Camarones al Ajillo.

I’ve watched the work Omi has put into sharing our food and culture with a growing audience, and I’m incredibly proud to see her representing Puerto Rican cuisine around the world.

Now, being able to open her cookbook, choose one of her recipes, and cook it in my own kitchen makes this even more special.

If you want to prepare the recipe exactly as Omi created it, you’ll find the Mantequilla Criolla on page 42 and the Camarones al Ajillo on page 119 of Cooking con Omi: A Love Letter to Puerto Rican Home Cooking.

Grab your copy of the book, make that Mantequilla Criolla with some fresh oregano brujo from the garden, and then let’s get those shrimp going.

¡Vamos pa’ encima! 🇵🇷🔥