It's never too early for Cinco de Mayo.
I would like to start this post off with a Mother's Day special ode to my Mom. Although a loving and perfect specimen, my Mother has some quirks. These random oddities do not include the fact that tears swell in her eyes any time I elongate a vowel in a high pitched fashion that resembles a note. Sing out Louise. Bonus points if you understand that. The fact that I'm not on Broadway still bothers her. That being said, she does have some extreme, and I mean extreme dislikes for some things. If you mention any of these rarefied topics her face starts to twitch, her hands get sweaty, and she becomes susceptible to the usage of English slang. Yes, when my mother really gets going the word "bloody" becomes common verbiage. To her, its the most potent and effective swear word.
Topic number one that grinds my mom's gears is Flo the progressive woman. Her hatred started tame at the beginning. Just several comments on how she is unlikeable and annoying. Then it transformed into a deep analysis on how a casting director could ever hire this woman. Then she realized it's not the casting directors error but the writers who were at fault. "Do people find this effective?" "Man she is getting old." One common theme about my Mom's pet peaves is her ability to play them off as nonchalant and pretend that we aren't aware of them. "You know what commercial I hate?" she would say at the dinner table. "That one with Flo." Yah we know Mom. DVR was a gift to this family when we had the possibility to fast forward and avoid the laborious rant. Dear Progressive Insurance. These comments were in no means reflecting the all star quality of your business. Clearly Flo works for you guys.
The second hatred and possibly the one that started it all is Lucy Liu. As an Charlie's Angel/ Kill Bill fan myself, I think the woman is an all around rockstar. However, one quiet night my brother happened to see her on some skincare commercial and comment on her apparent "hottness." "EXCUSE ME?" my mom screamed. Has my Mom seen one Lucy Liu flick? I don't think so. To this day, she questions my brother's sexuality.
The third dislike is beer. And it's not the drink itself...it's me drinking it. Yes, I'm a twenty something year old girl, who fancies a pint of beer every once in a while. However, my Mom thinks I guzzle forties of malt liquor on a daily basis. "But the carbs..." she rants. Don't get me wrong, I love beer. But my waistline can't afford it being an everyday habit. Full bottles of wine are ok for diets though right? My Mom however, insists on bringing up my beer habits regularly. One time I got bit by some infectious bug and had to go to urgent care. Since I basically was passing out at the wheel (I'm not good with doctors) my Mom accompanied me to the hospital. "Do you drink?" they asked. Which I do happen to find an extremely invasive question. Who doesn't have the awkward pause at the doctors office when that questions hits the table. Ummm socially. (Like when I watch TV with my cats on a Wednesday). "Well she does drink beer," my mom chimes in. Thanks Mom. That one will go on the personal file.
Lastly, and most relevant to this post is my Mom's dislike of fish tacos. "I just don't get it, who wants to eat fish with their hands?" Gee mom I don't know. Maybe the inventor of fish sticks, chicken fingers, or any other corn dog like food that comes portable. Trips to Florida were challenging to handle with her constant comments on the popular new food fad. News flash, fish tacos are present on almost every single food menu. "Who would put a fish in a taco?" I would Mom. But today, to honor you on this upcoming Mother's Day holiday and to bundle it with Cinco de Mayo, I'm bringing you shrimp tacos. Because we all know a shrimp isn't a bloody fish.
This recipe is all about the chipotle in adobo sauce. This is a gem easily found in a Supermarket in your Mexican aisle and it will transform your life. The peppers are incredibly flavorful with a touch of spiciness that is transformed by the wonderful smokiness. I love the peppers in this can but more importantly the sauce is to die for. Add a teaspoon of this to salad dressings, marinades, and sauces and it gives a powerful smoky element. It's a must have ingredient in my pantry. Yah, I don't have a pantry. Must have ingredient in my drawer.
Topic number one that grinds my mom's gears is Flo the progressive woman. Her hatred started tame at the beginning. Just several comments on how she is unlikeable and annoying. Then it transformed into a deep analysis on how a casting director could ever hire this woman. Then she realized it's not the casting directors error but the writers who were at fault. "Do people find this effective?" "Man she is getting old." One common theme about my Mom's pet peaves is her ability to play them off as nonchalant and pretend that we aren't aware of them. "You know what commercial I hate?" she would say at the dinner table. "That one with Flo." Yah we know Mom. DVR was a gift to this family when we had the possibility to fast forward and avoid the laborious rant. Dear Progressive Insurance. These comments were in no means reflecting the all star quality of your business. Clearly Flo works for you guys.
The second hatred and possibly the one that started it all is Lucy Liu. As an Charlie's Angel/ Kill Bill fan myself, I think the woman is an all around rockstar. However, one quiet night my brother happened to see her on some skincare commercial and comment on her apparent "hottness." "EXCUSE ME?" my mom screamed. Has my Mom seen one Lucy Liu flick? I don't think so. To this day, she questions my brother's sexuality.
The third dislike is beer. And it's not the drink itself...it's me drinking it. Yes, I'm a twenty something year old girl, who fancies a pint of beer every once in a while. However, my Mom thinks I guzzle forties of malt liquor on a daily basis. "But the carbs..." she rants. Don't get me wrong, I love beer. But my waistline can't afford it being an everyday habit. Full bottles of wine are ok for diets though right? My Mom however, insists on bringing up my beer habits regularly. One time I got bit by some infectious bug and had to go to urgent care. Since I basically was passing out at the wheel (I'm not good with doctors) my Mom accompanied me to the hospital. "Do you drink?" they asked. Which I do happen to find an extremely invasive question. Who doesn't have the awkward pause at the doctors office when that questions hits the table. Ummm socially. (Like when I watch TV with my cats on a Wednesday). "Well she does drink beer," my mom chimes in. Thanks Mom. That one will go on the personal file.
Lastly, and most relevant to this post is my Mom's dislike of fish tacos. "I just don't get it, who wants to eat fish with their hands?" Gee mom I don't know. Maybe the inventor of fish sticks, chicken fingers, or any other corn dog like food that comes portable. Trips to Florida were challenging to handle with her constant comments on the popular new food fad. News flash, fish tacos are present on almost every single food menu. "Who would put a fish in a taco?" I would Mom. But today, to honor you on this upcoming Mother's Day holiday and to bundle it with Cinco de Mayo, I'm bringing you shrimp tacos. Because we all know a shrimp isn't a bloody fish.
This recipe is all about the chipotle in adobo sauce. This is a gem easily found in a Supermarket in your Mexican aisle and it will transform your life. The peppers are incredibly flavorful with a touch of spiciness that is transformed by the wonderful smokiness. I love the peppers in this can but more importantly the sauce is to die for. Add a teaspoon of this to salad dressings, marinades, and sauces and it gives a powerful smoky element. It's a must have ingredient in my pantry. Yah, I don't have a pantry. Must have ingredient in my drawer.
Ingredients:
Shrimp Tacos
1 pound shelled deveined uncooked large shrimp
1 7 oz can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper
6-8 warmed corn or flour tortillas
1-2 cups cooked rice
1 cup cooked black beans
Pineapple Slaw
1/4 head of red cabbage sliced into thin strips
1/2 pineapple sliced into chunks
1/4 cup of tequila
juice of one lime
Chermoula Sauce
2 cups fresh cilantro
1 cup fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic minced
1/3 and 1 tbsp olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Method:
Pineapple Slaw:
Combine pineapple, cabbage, tequila, and lime into a medium sized bowl. Refrigerate 5 hours or overnight.
In a medium bowl mix together shrimp, 1 chipotle pepper plus one teaspoon adobo sauce from the chipotle peppers, cayenne pepper, and one teaspoon smoked paprika together. In a non-stick pan cook shrimp along with marinade until shrimp is fully cooked. About 6 - 8 minutes.
Chermoula Sauce:
Meanwhile, combine olive oil, parsley, cilantro, garlic, cumin, and paprika into a blender or food processor until it is smooth and sauce like. Set aside.
Shrimp Tacos
1 pound shelled deveined uncooked large shrimp
1 7 oz can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper
6-8 warmed corn or flour tortillas
1-2 cups cooked rice
1 cup cooked black beans
Pineapple Slaw
1/4 head of red cabbage sliced into thin strips
1/2 pineapple sliced into chunks
1/4 cup of tequila
juice of one lime
Chermoula Sauce
2 cups fresh cilantro
1 cup fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic minced
1/3 and 1 tbsp olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Method:
Pineapple Slaw:
Combine pineapple, cabbage, tequila, and lime into a medium sized bowl. Refrigerate 5 hours or overnight.
In a medium bowl mix together shrimp, 1 chipotle pepper plus one teaspoon adobo sauce from the chipotle peppers, cayenne pepper, and one teaspoon smoked paprika together. In a non-stick pan cook shrimp along with marinade until shrimp is fully cooked. About 6 - 8 minutes.
Chermoula Sauce:
Meanwhile, combine olive oil, parsley, cilantro, garlic, cumin, and paprika into a blender or food processor until it is smooth and sauce like. Set aside.
Method:
Pineapple Slaw:
Combine pineapple, cabbage, tequila, and lime into a medium sized bowl. Refrigerate 5 hours or overnight.
In a medium bowl mix together shrimp, 1 chipotle pepper plus one teaspoon adobo sauce from the chipotle peppers, cayenne pepper, and one teaspoon smoked paprika together. In a non-stick pan cook shrimp along with marinade until shrimp is fully cooked. About 7 - 9 minutes.
Chermoula Sauce:
Meanwhile, combine olive oil, parsley, cilantro, garlic, cumin, and paprika into a blender or food processor until it is smooth and sauce like. Set aside.
Smoked Spicy Mayo:
Whisk together mayonnaise plus an additional tablespoon of adobo sauce until the sauce is fully combined.
In a non-stick pan, lightly toast the flour tortillas on medium heat until they are blackened and crispy. For others, you can totally warm them up in the microwave.
Black Bean Rice:
Combine cooked white rice with drained and rinsed black beans.
To assemble, layer rice on a cooked tortilla. Top with pineapple slaw and chipotle shrimp. Drizzle chermoula sauce and spicy chipotle mayo over the tacos. Serve warm with a drizzle of fresh lime juice and a sprinkle of cilantro.
Pineapple Slaw:
Combine pineapple, cabbage, tequila, and lime into a medium sized bowl. Refrigerate 5 hours or overnight.
In a medium bowl mix together shrimp, 1 chipotle pepper plus one teaspoon adobo sauce from the chipotle peppers, cayenne pepper, and one teaspoon smoked paprika together. In a non-stick pan cook shrimp along with marinade until shrimp is fully cooked. About 7 - 9 minutes.
Chermoula Sauce:
Meanwhile, combine olive oil, parsley, cilantro, garlic, cumin, and paprika into a blender or food processor until it is smooth and sauce like. Set aside.
Smoked Spicy Mayo:
Whisk together mayonnaise plus an additional tablespoon of adobo sauce until the sauce is fully combined.
In a non-stick pan, lightly toast the flour tortillas on medium heat until they are blackened and crispy. For others, you can totally warm them up in the microwave.
Black Bean Rice:
Combine cooked white rice with drained and rinsed black beans.
To assemble, layer rice on a cooked tortilla. Top with pineapple slaw and chipotle shrimp. Drizzle chermoula sauce and spicy chipotle mayo over the tacos. Serve warm with a drizzle of fresh lime juice and a sprinkle of cilantro.
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