Chipotle Shrimp

Seafood is one of my most favorite types of food in the world.  Fish, shellfish, you name it- every type of seafood that I've ever tired, I've loved.  Ideally, I'd like to have it multiple times each week, but the cost of it makes me wait for the sales or special occasions.  Last week there was an awesome sale on shrimp at Whole Foods, so I snapped some up as soon as I could.  I knew immediately what I wanted to make with it- something that I've been eyeing for a while- and that was Rick Bayless' Chipotle Shrimp.  As soon as I picked up Mexican Everyday and it stared at me from the cover, I knew that I'd have to make it.

... and so I did.  Wow... if you are a fan of shrimp, a fan of spicy food, a fan of chipotle... you need to make this as soon as possible.  I'm really not exaggerating when I say it's one of the best, and easiest recipes I've made in quite some time, and I've made a lot of good stuff, so that's high praise.

So go forth and make.... really....

Chipotle Shrimp

Camarones Enchipotlados

Source: Mexican Everyday

Serves 4

Ingredients:

One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice (preferably fire-roasted), drained

2-3 canned chipotle chiles en adobo

1 tbsp chipotle canning sauce

2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil

3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped, or crushed through a garlic press

About 1 1/2 cups fish or chicken broth or water

Salt

1- 1 1/4 pounds medium-large shrimp (21-25 shrimp per pound), peeled and deveined, tail left on if you want

About 1/4 cilantro, loosely packed, roughly chopped

White rice for serving (if desired)

Directions:

1. Combine tomatoes, chipotle chiles, and chipotle canning sauce in a food processor.  Blend until smooth.

2. Heat oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic, and saute for about 1 minute, until fragrant and golden.

3. Add tomato mixture, and cook about 5 minutes, stirring often.   Add enough chicken broth to make it the consistency of light tomato sauce.  Taste and season with salt- about 1 tsp. 

4. Add shrimp and cook about 4 minutes, until shrimp are done, stirring constantly.  If the sauce has thickened too much, add more broth or water.

5. Remove the pan from heat and serve the shrimp over white rice (if desired).  Garnish with cilantro.

Notes:

• I used 3 chipotle chiles and it was pretty spicy!  You can definitely vary the chipotles to suit your own taste, but you'll have to add some of the chiles and adobo sauce to get the awesome flavor.  To mute the spiciness further, you can remove the seeds of the chiles if desired.
• This was great over white rice, but you could also serve it plain, or with tortillas.  The sauce is great for dipping.
• Scallops or other seafood would be a great substitution for the shrimp- even chicken would be good if you don't eat seafood.... and if you are a vegetarian, Bayless suggests using tofu and eggplant.
• Other advice?  Just make it!  It's awesome!!!!