Thai Shrimp Taco

This can be a quick dinner especially if you keep some frozen shrimp in the freezer.  Let in marinate for at least a few hours.  I grilled the shrimp but a hot cast iron pan would work well.

Thai Shrimp Tacos

Ingredients

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoon  soy sauce 

2 teaspoon ginger

2 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce

½ limes fresh juice

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 corn or flour tortillas

extra cilantro for garnish

lime wedges for garnish

siracha if desired

Papaya Salsa (can do the same with mango or pineapple)

2 papayas seeded and cubed

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon chili paste

juice of 2 limes

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp, soy sauce, grated ginger, chili-garlic sauce and fresh lime juice. Toss the shrimp and set them aside to marinate.

2.  Cube papaya.  Add cilantro, chili paste and lime juice.  Set aside.

3. In a large heavy skillet or pan, heat the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over high heat. When the pan is very hot, add half of the shrimp. Cook until just pink, about 1 minutes, and then flip.

4. When the shrimp are cooked, remove them from the pan and let it get hot again. Cook the second half of the shrimp.

5. Heat the tortillas on a griddle or in a dry non-stick pan. Pile each tortilla with 3 shrimp and a generous amount of salsa.

Garnish with a little fresh cilantro.  Serve with lime wedges and siracha if desired!

Preparation time: 20 minute(s) 

Cooking time: 5 minute(s) 

Number of servings (yield): 4

 

Cazuela

Cazuela is a Latin American dish that gets its name from the dish it is served in. This is my take on one I had at my favorite local restaurant, Va di Vi.  They made this with rock shrimp but I used large prawns instead.  It's basically Spanish rice with prawns and topped with a poached egg. I also added some grilled shishito or padron peppers.  This recipe serves four.

Cazuela

Rice
1-14 oz can tomatoes
3 tbs chopped white onion
2 garlic cloves
1/4 c canola oil
1 c medium grain rice
1/3 c each fresh or frozen peas, corn kernels, and diced peeled carrot
3 serrano chiles, slit down one side
6 fresh cilantro sprigs

1.  Put the tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a blender and process until smooth.  Set aside.
2.  In a saucepan over medium high heat, warm the oil.  When hot add the rice and stir until it just starts to change color.
3.  Add the tomato mixture and stir to blend.
4.  Add 2 cups hot water, the peas, corn, chilis, cilantro, and 1 1/2 tsp salt.
5.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low.  Cover and continue cooking for 10 minutes.
6.  Uncover and stir.  Recover and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Check and cook another 10 minutes if liquid is not absorbed.
7.  Let sit for 10 minutes and than fluff with a fork.
8.  Prepare shrimp while rice sits. Poach eggs if desired.
9. Remove Serrano chilis and cilantro sprigs.  Serve rice with prawns.  Add a poached egg to top.

Shrimp
24 large shelled, deveined prawns
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
Limes
4 eggs

1.  Preheat oven to 400.
2.  Put olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes in a oven proof dish such as a cast iron pot or baking sheet.  Heat the olive oil for about 10 minutes.
3.  Add prawns, toss to coat and roast for about 8 minutes turning once until shrimp is pink and cooked through.  Squeeze juice of a lime over cooked shrimp.
4.  Poach eggs if desird for serving.  Serve with a few cilantro leaves and a lime wedge.