1. Mince 2 garlic cloves with chefs knife or garlic press. Toss minced garlic with shrimp, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and salt in medium bowl. Let shrimp marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes

2. Meanwhile, using flat side of chefs knife, smash 4 garlic cloves. Heat smashed garlic with remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is light golden brown, 4 to 7 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow oil to cool to room temperature. Using slotted spoon, remove smashed garlic from skillet and discard.

3. Thinly slice remaining 8 cloves garlic. Return skillet to low heat and add sliced garlic, bay leaf, and chile. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is tender but not browned, 4 to 7 minutes. (If garlic has not begun to sizzle after 3 minutes, increase heat to medium-low.) Increase heat to medium-low; add shrimp with marinade to pan in single layer. Cook shrimp, undisturbed, until oil starts to gently bubble, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, flip shrimp and continue to cook until almost cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Increase heat to high and add sherry vinegar and parsley. Cook, stirring constantly, until shrimp are cooked through and oil is bubbling vigorously, 15 to 20 seconds. Serve immediately.

STEP BY STEP: Choosing the Right Chile

Authentic Choice: The slightly sweet cascabel chile is the traditional choice for gambas al ajillo.

Best Substitute: New Mexico chile (aka California chile, chile Colorado, or dried Anaheim chile) is far more widely available and has the same bright freshness as the cascabel.

Last Resort: You wont have any trouble finding paprika, but its slightly stale flavor cannot compare with the complex taste of whole dried chiles.

STEP BY STEP: Garlic Flavor Three Ways

Raw=Pungent: The minced garlic in the marinade gets cooked briefly with the shrimp, maintaining a hint of raw-garlic pungency.

Browned=Sweet: Gently browning smashed whole garlic cloves infuses the olive oil with a sweet roasted-garlic flavor.

Poached=Mellow: Sliced garlic cooked gently in low-temperature olive