Recipe for Shrimp in Chile Adobo Sauce

If you have the Chile Adobo Sauce on hand, this is a quick meal to make. Serve the shrimp with rice or with warmed flour tortillas.

Credit: iStockphoto.com/Luis Leonardo

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Preparation time: 5 minutes; 15 to 60 minutes marinating time

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Spice meter: Hot and spicy

1 recipe Chile Adobo Sauce

2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil

1-3/4 pounds shelled and de-veined medium shrimp

1/4 cup water or orange juice

Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

1. Put the shrimp in a large flat baking dish. Pour the Chile Adobo Sauce over the shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 15 to 60 minutes.

2. Remove the shrimp from the marinade. Set the marinade aside. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the vegetable oil. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until all the shrimp begin to turn opaque, about 2 minutes.

3. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the reserved marinade and water to the pan. Cover partially and simmer for about 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.

Per serving: Calories 189 (From Fat 92); Fat 10g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 188mg; Sodium 466mg; Carbohydrate 3g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 21g.

Chile Adobo Sauce

Popular in the American Southwest and Mexico, this piquant, deep-red sauce is wonderful for marinating beef, pork, chicken, and shrimp.

Yield: About 1-3/4 cups

Preparation time: 10 to 15 minutes

Spice meter: Hot and spicy

8 to 10 dried guajillo or ancho chiles or a combination

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 plump cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds or 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano or 2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 cup tomato puree or crushed canned tomatoes

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup cider or white wine vinegar

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1. Cover the chiles with hot water until they’re softened slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove the chiles from the water and then cut off their stems.

2. In a small skillet over medium-low heat, heat the vegetable oil. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.

   Add the cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, and oregano and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the tomato puree and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.

3. 3In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the chiles (with their seeds), water, and vinegar.

   Pulse until a thick puree forms. Add the garlic-tomato mixture and salt. Pulse until the mixture is blended. Let the sauce cool before using.

4. 4To use as a marinade, pour the chile adobo sauce over meat or poultry and marinate for 2 hours or overnight.

   It can also be used as a marinade for shellfish or fish; marinate for 15 to 60 minutes.

Per serving: Calories 20 (From Fat 16); Fat 2g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 94mg; Carbohydrate 1g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 0g.