I am always looking for recipes that I can cook quickly after a long day at work, and shrimp are the stars because they can be ready in no time at all! They’re a great source of protein and can be dressed in so many different ways.
For me, shrimp need to be spicy, and this recipe incorporates a few different types of chiles to make them very exciting! Of course, if you don’t have all these ingredients, you can stick to only chipotles or even serranos or Jalapeños, don’t let that stop you!
I love using pink wild-caught Argentinian shrimp because they are so meaty and tender, and they usually come already peeled, so it’s even quicker to use them; but if they’re not available to you, use whatever large shrimp you can get your hands on. Unless you live on the coast, buy frozen shrimp, as they will be the freshest. If you think ahead, thaw overnight on a tray in the fridge, but if you’ve forgotten, place the shrimp in a bowl and fill with cold water, change every 5 minutes so it remains cold, and do this until shrimp are soft, which should not take more than 30-45 minutes.
You can serve these shrimp as a Tapa with sliced baguette, use them in a pasta dish or simply serve with rice or quinoa, but I love making tostadas incorporating a base of guacamole. It is a delicious and fun appetizer.
Tostadas de Camarón Enchilado
Spicy Shrimp Tostadas
340g 31-40 shrimp, thawed, peeled and deveined (I like wild pink Argentinian shrimp)
Juice of 1 large lime, or more to taste
1 tsp ground guajillo chile
1-2 tsp minced chipotle chile in adobo, or more to taste
1 Tbsp minced serrano or Jalapeño chile
1 Tbsp minced red onion
Salt to taste
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cups guacamole
Small corn tostadas
Lime wedges
Salsa Macha or your favourite salsa
Using a paper towel, dry shrimp so there is no surface moisture left in them. Place in a medium bowl and add lime juice, guajillo chile powder, chipotle chile, serrano chile, red onion, salt and olive oil. Let shrimp marinate for 15 minutes while you make some guacamole.
When ready to eat, preheat the grill and place grilling basket on the grates. Place shrimp on the basket and cook for about one to one and a half minutes per side, just until the shrimp firm up a bit, we don’t want to overcook them.
If you don’t have a grill, you can cook them in a skillet over medium high heat, the same way.
Warm up some tostadas, spread them with guacamole and mound the cooked shrimp on top. Drizzle with salsa macha and serve with lime wedges.
Serves 2-3.