Last week we decided to try out a recipe from Diana Kennedy – the Mexican cooking authority. I hadn’t really planned anything for dinner, so seafood seemed the quickest option (since a lot Mexican dishes seem to start with slow cooking a piece of meat).
Flipping through her The Art of Mexican Cooking cookbook, I was drawn to this shrimp recipe because I love chipotle chiles! Ripened and smoke-dried jalapenos, chipotles bring a smokey heat to dishes that brings depth to the spice, rather than just hot for hot’s sake.
The recipe turned out to be very simple. So simple, in fact that when it came time to add the dry white wine and I realized I didn’t have any to use, I used what was on hand…literally. In my hand was a bottle of Model Especial, so I just poured some in. Perhaps the original version is better, but my version with beer worked out just fine. I served the shrimp over Arroz Verde (green rice), to contrast the deep red chipotle sauce.
The shrimp were just tender and were amped up by the smokey heat of the rich tomato sauce. This sauce is begging to be used in more dishes – I’m thinking enchiladas, huevos rancheros…the possibilities are endless. The onion, although it was a smaller amount than the original recipe called for, added a sweetness that really worked well together. The rice was good, but perhaps I would like it better using cilantro instead of, or in combination with, the parsley. I just don’t like parsley much – but I keep trying!
Camarones Enchipotlados (Shrimp in Chipotle Sauce)
Adapted from The Art of Mexican Cooking
serves 2
1/2 lb. large shrimp, peeled and butterflied with tail shell left on
sea salt and pepper to taste
2 T. fresh lime juice
1/4 cup light olive oil
1/2 medium white onion, thinly sliced
3 medium tomatoes, broiled (see below)
2 chiles chipotles in adobo (to taste)
1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped
1/4 cup beer (or dry white wine)
1/8 tsp. Mexican dried oregano
Season the shrimp with salt, pepper and lime juice. Set aside to marinate for about 30 minutes.
Heat the oil in a frying pan; add the drained shrimp, reserving any liquid, and sliced onion and fry, shaking the pan and tossing the ingredients for about 3 minutes (shrimp will not be cooked through). Remove shrimp and onion with a slotted spoon and set aside.
In a blender, blend tomatoes, chipotles and their liquid, and garlic to a textured sauce. Reheat the oil, add the sauce and fry over medium-high heat, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking, for about 8 minutes. Add the beer, oregano, marinade and salt to taste and cook for another minute. Add the shrimp/onion mixture and cook for about 2 minutes – the shrimp should be just cooked and still crisp.
*Broil tomatoes in a single layer in a pan that is just wide enough to fit them. Allow to boil and blister on one side, then turn and repeat.
Arroz Verde (Green Rice)
Mexico the Beautiful Cookbook
serves 3-4
1 cup long grain white rice
3 oz. fresh spinach
1/2 cup parsley leaves
1 T. chopped onion
1 clove garlic
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. oil
3 c. hot water
Soak the rice for 5 minutes in warm water, rinse well and drain.
Rinse the spinach well, place it in a saucepan with no added water, cover and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender, add the parsley, onion, garlic and 1/4 c. water and puree. Set aside.
Heat oil in a skillet, add rice and saute for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. When the grains begin to separate, remove from the heat and drain off the excess oil. Add the spinach-parsely mixture to the skillet and saute for 2 minutes. Add the hot water and salt to taste. When the mixture comes to a boil, lower the heat and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.
