Hispanic Heritage · Cuba

Cienfuegos

Cienfuegos · Punta Gorda · Cumanayagua · Rodas · Palmira · Lajas

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Camarones al ajillo

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Cienfuegos faces a sheltered bay on Cuba’s south coast. This kitchen explores the direct appeal of camarones al ajillo: shrimp, olive oil, garlic, and a bright finish, with seasoning that leaves the seafood in focus.

La Gente

Garlic asks for attention in a hot pan. Let it become fragrant without burning, then cook the shrimp just until done. The dish comes together quickly, so measure the ingredients before turning on the heat.

Sabor

Cienfuegos cooks the south coast's seafood with garlic first: olive oil, a lot of garlic, sour orange, dry wine, bay, black pepper, parsley. Nothing that competes with the shrimp. A little crushed pepper only in the houses that like it.

Spice DNA · Acid medium · Herb medium · Sweet none · Smoke none · Heat low

Seasonings to explore

• Minced Garlic in Olive Oil. The whole dish. The starting point and the middle and the end.
• Sour Orange Marinade 20. A splash at the finish.
• Black Pepper Ground. On the shrimp.
• Bay Leaves Whole. One in the oil.
• Oregano Whole. A pinch.
• Crushed Red Pepper. A pinch, optional.
• Cilantro. For the parsley when the fresh is gone.

From your market: a pound and a half of shrimp, peeled, olive oil, vino seco, fresh parsley, limes, and a good loaf. Badia does not sell the bread. Choose a loaf for soaking up the garlic oil.

Cocina

Camarones al ajillo

Bay shrimp in garlic oil with dry wine and sour orange. Ten minutes and a loaf of bread.

Serves 4

• 1½ lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Salt and ½ tsp Badia Black Pepper, ground
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 4 tbsp Badia Minced Garlic in Olive Oil, or 8 garlic cloves sliced
• 1 Badia Bay Leaf, whole
• Pinch of Badia Oregano, whole
• Pinch of Badia Crushed Red Pepper, optional
• ¼ cup dry white wine (vino seco)
• 2 tbsp Badia Sour Orange Marinade
• 3 tbsp parsley, chopped, or 1 tbsp Badia Cilantro flakes

1. Season. Salt and pepper the shrimp.
2. The oil. Warm the olive oil over medium with the garlic, bay leaf, oregano, and crushed pepper if using, until the garlic is fragrant and just gold. Do not brown it.
3. Shrimp. Raise the heat. Add the shrimp in one layer and cook 2 minutes a side until pink.
4. Wine and orange. Add the wine and sour orange and let it bubble 1 minute.
5. Finish. Parsley. Straight to the table in the pan, with bread for the oil.
6. White rice beside it if it is dinner. Benny Moré on the speaker either way.

Pueblos de Cienfuegos

Cienfuegos · Punta Gorda · Cumanayagua · Rodas · Palmira · Lajas · Cruces · Aguada de Pasajeros · Abreus

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