Smothered Shrimp
This is excellent served with a variety of cheeses and wines.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4
- 2 pounds medium-sized fresh shrimp
- 1 small white onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 medium-sized red tomatoes
- 1 cup canned, stewed green tomatoes, with juice
- ½ cup canned or fresh jalapeño peppers
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup dry cooking sherry
Boil the shrimp for 10 minutes in 1 gallon of water. Rinse with cold water. Remove the shell and use a fork tine to remove the back vein.
Peel and mince the onion and garlic. Chop the tomatoes into ¼-inch pieces, reserving the juice from the green tomatoes. Remove the stem and seeds from the jalapeños and mince.
Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeños; sauté on medium heat until the onions are limp but not brown.
Add the red and green tomatoes, including the juice from the green tomatoes. Continue cooking at medium heat, stirring constantly, for 15 minutes. Stir in the cooking sherry.
Preheat oven to 300°.
Arrange the shrimp in a large baking pan. Pour the sauce over the shrimp. Place the pan in the oven for 15 minutes.
What Fish Tastes Best?
Because most Mexican fish recipes call for adding sauces and spices to the fish, look for a firm, mild-flavored, white-fleshed fish that holds up well to cooking. Bass, flounder, shark, swordfish, and red snapper all work well. Some fish can have surprisingly strong flavors so if you want to try a new fish, take a small piece home and steam it to see if you like the flavor before putting it in your recipe.
