I never thought in a million years that shrimp would be my go to choice when I wanted a quick and delicious dinner! For many years I avoided the whole shrimp issue since my better half did not really care for it. That was until he tried bacon wrapped shrimp! Since that day I have lost count on how many shrimp recipes I have prepared to date. One of our favorite ways to enjoy a quick shrimp dinner is by marinating it in some salsa macha(chile oil). It’s delicious pan seared in a cast iron skillet and grilled too!
Do you ever have those days when you are so hungry, but not willing to spend(waste) the money on eating out? This happens a lot in our house. I am so thankful that both my parents cooked and never discouraged us to get in the kitchen to learn. The times I would most likely go out to eat would be on the weekends. During the week, I am busy in the kitchen developing new recipes for my blog. Even after you think you have exhausted all of the popular and traditional recipes, there is always fusion cooking! Bringing two cultures of food together to create something new. I am a fusion food junkie! I really enjoy it. Preparing special meals does not always involve hours of prep and cook time or a ton of ingredients. I took a little help from my homemade chile oil or salsa macha (salsa en aceite) I had prepared a few months before. If you have not tried preparing some yet, you really should. It last forever in the coldest part of your refrigerator and can be used in so many recipes. My favorite way to use the salsa macha (chile oil) is to marinate shrimp. With just a few spices added, the results are delicious!
Here is the shrimp on a different night. Serve with sauteed onions, garlic, poblanos, jalapeños and tomatoes. Don’t forget the Simple Mexican Rice Garnish with fresh cilantro!
Tips~ Any dried chile peppers, such as chile de arbol, chiles japones or chile piquin will work for preparing Salsa Macha(chile oil). If you can find it already crushed in the Mexican spices, even better! Click onto picture above to see full recipe for Salsa Macha .
Another variation of Salsa Macha. Click onto picture above to see full recipe on site. Prepared with both red and green chiles.
Tips~ When I am in a hurry, I go to my local market that has the freshest looking seafood and purchase just 1/2 pound of shrimp. The larger the better.
Camarones Enchilados (Spicy Shrimp)
Ingredients
- 12-16 jumbo Shrimp
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon chile ancho powder
- 3-4 tablespoons salsa macha chile oil
Instructions
- After peeling and cleaning shrimp, transfer to a glass dish or bowl.
- Season the the shrimp with kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper and chile ancho powder on both sides. Add 2-3 full tablespoons of salsa macha(chile oil) and fold to coat all the shrimp evenly. Let marinate for 30 to 40 minutes.
- When ready to cook, preheat pan to medium heat for 5 minutes. Drizzle in a little olive oil to pan. Shake off excess chile from the shrimp and cook shrimp for 5 to 6 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time. Serve as an appetizer and enjoy! Garnish with fresh lime wedges.
Notes
Spicy Shrimp Cob Salad
For Shrimp16 jumbo shrimp
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup salsa macha(see recipe) For Dressing
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbs dijon mustard
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
1 tbs agave nectar
1 clove of garlic
2 serrano peppers
pinch of crushed chile piquin or red pepper flakes salt and pepper to taste You Will Also Need
1 head iceburg lettuce, torn
1 English cucumber, sliced
4 hard boiled eggs, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes
Red onion, thinly sliced
8 ounces Manchego cheese, cubed
6 slices bacon, previously cooked and chopped Directions Prep all the salad ingredients and the dressing. To the blender, add all of the ingredients for the dressing. Blend on high until smooth. Taste for salt. Set aside. Once you have all of your salad ingredients prepped, arrange on a serving platter. St aside. Follow instructions on how to prepare shrimp. Yields 4 dinner size salads.
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My only problem with this: You only buy one-half pound of shrimp! I could eat 2-3 lbs of this. Seriously. Beautifully done.
Hahhahahaha! Good point Adam! They were pretty big though, hahaha! Just makes me hungry for more! Greeting form New York!