Natalie Sélavy

I had an unexpected house guest most of last week. My friend needed a place to stay and I offered her my couch (it’s rather comfortable, I fall asleep on it almost every night before making the 2am transition into bed). I never had a sister and I didn’t have many sleep-overs growing up, my step dad used to tell me they were weird (he became my stepdad shortly after retiring from the army, obviously). The past week felt like one big slumber party and we ate like it was too. Popcorn, chips, cookies, gummy bears and tequila.

After a few days both of us were craving a nice home cooked meal so I decided to make some empanadas, shrimp and rice. And instead of drinking the rest of the tequila, I cooked with it.

Shrimp with Orange and Tequila
yield: serves 2

1 orange
6 tbs butter
2 tbs white onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 serrano peppers, finely chopped
1/4 cup tequila
3 tbs cilantro, minced
sea salt to taste

With a zester or vegetable peeler, cut the zest from the orange in very narrow strips, being careful to avoid any of the white pith. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Place the strips in a small sieve or slotted spoon, plunge them into the boiling water, remove immediately  and rinse under running cold water. Repeat three times to remove the bitter taste. Pat the orange strips dry with paper towels.

In a frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and saute until translucent, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp turn pink and begin to curl, 2-3 minutes.

Before the shrimp has finished cooking add the serrano peppers and orange strips. Stir briefly to mix. Pour the tequila over the shrimp, carefully ignite with a long match, and let the flames burn out. Add the minced cilantro, season with salt, and serve with rice.

The shrimp was tender and delicious  The serrano peppers, which could be replaced with chipotle peppers, gave the dish a little heat while the bright orange and fresh cilantro kept things light. I served the shrimp with some steamed white rice, but this could be paired with pasta, bread or even a grain such as quinoa.

Tomorrow I wil post the recipe for the simple yet tasty beef empanadas.
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