SHRIMP ‘MANO DIABLO
Has LA’s Mexican food culture had any influence in my cooking? Hell yeah!! After all, I’ve always been inspired by Latin flavors even before arriving to the City of Angels—as you can see throughout many of my recipes and the stories behind them. For my Shrimp ‘Mano Diablo, however, I’m giving an Italian-American classic, Fra Diavolo sauce, a Mexi-Spanish reboot, if you will; using store-bought Mexican chorizo and a generous dousing of Lustau Vermouth from Jerez in the Andalusia region of Spain, to make a devilishly simple, savory, sweet and spicy sauce that even angels wouldn’t fear to tread.
PREP/COOK TIME: About 25 Minutes
Makes 2 – 3 Servings
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbs – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tsp – Crushed Red Pepper
2 Tbs – Double Concentrate Tomato Paste
5.5 Oz (About ½ Link) – Reynaldo's Pork Chorizo
½ Cup – Lustau Vermut de Jerez Rojo, or Dry Marsala (NOT Marsala Cooking Wine!!)
1 Cup – Heavy Cream
1 Tbs – Finely Grated Garlic
1 Lbs – Large Shrimp, Peeled and Deveined (Tails Removed)
1 ½ Tsp – Fresh Lime Juice
½ Cup – Finely Chopped Scallions, Stems and Leaves (For Garnish)
¾ Cup – Crumbled, Queso Fresco
THE NITTY GRITTY
In a large skillet, or non-stick pan, heat oil at medium high. Add crushed red pepper and tomato paste and stir; sauté to remove rawness from paste and release oils from pepper (about 1 – 2 minutes).
Squeeze out chorizo from casing into pan; break apart with spoon and cook for about 3 – 4 minutes (sputtering will occur). Add vermouth and stir; simmer for about 2 minutes to cook out alcohol. Add cream; stir to combine. Bring cream to a boil before adding garlic. Reduce heat to medium; simmer sauce for about 1 – 2 minutes.
Add shrimp; toss to combine—cover and cook till shrimp appears pink and opaque (about 3 - 4 minutes). Finish with a slosh of lime juice.
Serve over linguine or penne pasta, rice, or with a good, crusty loaf of French baguette.
Garnish with chopped scallions and enjoy.
JANUARY 28, 2020
