This recipe from “Naturally Healthy Mexican Cooking,” a new cookbook from Jim Peyton of Lo Mexicano (www.lomexicano.com)
Makes 4 servings
As an entrée, the dish goes well with rice, but I like it served with only hot corn tortillas. It is also delicious in soft tacos.
The Shrimp:
1/3 cup olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 cups finely chopped white onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped serrano chiles*
2 (14 ½ ounce cans) fire roasted, chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon leaf oregano
2 cups fish and/or chicken broth (see recipe for fish broth below)
Salt, to taste*
1 pound shrimp (21 – 25 per pound is a good size) weighed after thawing and peeling
Infuse the cooking oil with garlic. In a skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the garlic and cook until it just begins to brown then discard it.
Saute the onions. Add the onions and serrano to the skillet and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to turn golden brown. Do not allow them to fully brown as they can overpower the delicate shrimp.
Finish the dish. Add the tomatoes, oregano, and broth to the skillet, bring to a boil, and simmer until the sauce is thick enough to hold together and is no longer runny, 20 to 30 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring often, until they are just cooked through.
The Fish Broth:
To quickly make a mild fish broth, simmer the shells and tails of the shrimp for about 15 minutes in 1 ¼ cups chicken broth combined with ¾ cup clam juice, or you could use plain chicken broth. Please note that it takes about 1 ½ pounds of frozen, unpeeled shrimp to make 1 pound after thawing and peeling.
*The amount of chiles given makes a dish that is medium hot, so use more or less depending on your taste. Also, be careful when adding salt because the tomatoes may have enough for the entire dish