Boiled Shrimp (Gambas Cocidas)
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 8-9 quarts water
- 2 cups ice, plus extra if needed
- 4 tablespoons sea salt
- 2 pounds raw shrimp or prawns, either gambas or langostinos
Instructions
- Prepare the water bath. Pour about 4 quarts of cold water into a big bowl and add ice and sea salt. Stir until some of the salt has dissolved.
- Add another 4-5 quarts of water to a large pot, and bring to a rolling boil. Add all the shrimp at once and give a slight stir.
- Return the pot to a boil and cook until the shrimp change color and start to float to the top. Once they reach this stage, take them out right away; be careful not to overcook!
- Remove the shrimp as fast as possible with a slotted spoon and add them to the ice water and chill for 15 minutes. If all the ice melts once the shrimp are in, add more ice to keep it cold.
- Drain the shrimp and serve as is, or with sliced lemon. There’s no need to peel or devein before serving. Leftovers can be refrigerated covered with a moist paper towel for up to one day.
Notes
- Be careful not to overcook the shrimp. Take them out as soon as they float to the top and turn pink or opaque.
- Did all the ice melt when you added the shrimp? Add extra ice to keep the water cold.
