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| Shrimp Soft Tacos with Lime Dressing and Crunchy Vegetables |
I was probably a senior in high school when I was out with some friends on a Saturday afternoon in late April when the discussion of local Cinco de Mayo events arose when (despite three years of Spanish classes and not realizing the literal translation) I asked,
when is cinco de mayo?
Not to be confused with Mexico's Independence Day (which is celebrated on September 16th), probably the most historically accurate account surrounding the day I found is on History Channel's
website. It is also the theme for this week's #SundaySupper event due to it being so timely.
The Challenge
Quite simply, authenticity. So much of ethnic cuisine has been polluted by American influences, it's sometimes difficult to distinguish between the two.
The Source
I consider Chef Rick Bayless an authority on authentic Mexican cuisine, so I grabbed this recipe from his
website.
Ingredients
1 lime, cut in half
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3 bay leaves
12 ounces raw shrimp, 40 to 50 count
1/2 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 ripe medium-small tomato, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice
5 radishes, finely diced
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
Flour tortillas
Method
1. Cook the shrimp: Squeeze the juice from the two lime halves into a medium saucepan, then add the two rinds. Add in 1 quart water, black peppercorns, allspice and bay leaves. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Add the shrimp, recover and raise the heat to high until a bare simmer is reached. Immediately remove the saucepan from heat and drain the fluid. Recover the saucepan and set aside for five to 8 minutes, or until the shrimp are fully cooked through. Shock the shrimp by running cold water over them to stop any further carryover cooking. Peel and devein the shrimp, if necessary and cut the shrimp into 1/22-inch pieces if using medium or large shrimp. Add the shrimp to a bowl and combine with the red onion, radishes, tomatoes and cilantro. Toss to combine.
2. Make the dressing and finish the dish: In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, vegetable oil, and salt. Pour the dressing over the shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate. When ready to serve, add the shrimp mixture to flour tortillas and serve.
Successful?
The weather here locally has been warm this week, so this was light and refreshing. In preparing this dish, I was reminded that Mexican food is very delicious, but often labor intensive. In this case, the mise en place was a marathon. Ultimately, it was tasty and Mrs. Stuntman was happy with it.
¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!
Other Sunday Supper Participants
And finally, please check out this week's other Sunday Supper contributors:
Cinco de Mayo Appetizers & Sides {Aperitivos}:
Cinco de Mayo Main Dishes {Platos Principales}:
Cinco de Mayo Desserts {Postres}:
Cinco de Mayo Drinks {Bebidas}:
