Shrimp sauteed in butter with plenty of golden garlic, lime and guajillo chile.
About this recipe
Camarones al mojo de ajo is a beautifully simple dish bursting with flavour. The shrimp are sauteed in generous amounts of butter with thinly sliced garlic cooked until golden, then finished with a squeeze of lime, guajillo chile and parsley. It is a staple of Mexican coastal restaurants.
History & Origin
Camarones al mojo de ajo is an iconic dish of coastal Mexican restaurants, from Puerto Vallarta to Cancún. The 'mojo de ajo' technique has Spanish influence, derived from the Canarian 'mojo' that combines garlic, oil and acid, but in México it was adapted using butter, lime and guajillo chile. The secret of this dish lies in slowly browning garlic slices in butter until they are crisp and aromatic, without burning them. It became popular in the 1960s and 1970s with the rise of tourism along the Pacific and Caribbean coasts of México. It is served as a main course in seaside restaurants, accompanied by white rice, and it is tradition to soak crusty bread in the garlic butter sauce left on the plate.
Estimated cost
$25.89
Total cost
$6.48
Per serving
* Approximate prices based on US supermarkets
Nutritional information per serving
351
Calories
30g
Protein
24g
Carbohydrates
17g
Fat
2g
Fiber
960mg
Sodium
* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.
Method
- 1
Clean the shrimp, removing the shell but leaving the tail for presentation. Remove the black vein. Season with salt and pepper.
- 2
Pela the 10 garlic cloves y cortalos en laminas finas (no the piques; the laminas are la clave of the mojo de garlic).
💡 El secreto of the mojo de garlic are the laminas de garlic doradas lentamente. Usa un cuchillo afilado for cortarlas uniformemente delgadas.
- 3
Heat the butter and olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-low heat. When the butter melts and stops foaming, add the garlic slices.
- 4
Cook the garlic slowly for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until the slices are golden and crispy. Don't raise the heat; burnt garlic makes the entire dish bitter.
- 5
Raise the heat to high. Add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook without stirring for 1-2 minutes until the underside is pink and golden.
- 6
Flip the shrimp and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Pour in the white wine and let it evaporate for 1 minute. Add the guajillo chili powder.
- 7
Exprime el jugo de limon on the shrimp. Espolvorea el parsley chopped. Mezcla all for 30 segundos mas.
- 8
Sirve de inmediato en un dish hot, banando the shrimp with la butter de garlic de la sarten. Acompana with white rice y ensalada.
💡 Sirve with bread crispy for mojar en la salsa de butter with garlic; es la mejor part of the dish.
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Founder, Recetas Mexas
Mexican from Puebla, IT professional and foodie. Author of 1000+ authentic Mexican recipes adapted for European kitchens. Based in Madrid since 2018.
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