Shrimp in Chipotle Sauce

SP was looking through our Williams-Sonoma Mexican cookbook over the weekend and found this recipe for Shrimp in Chipotle Sauce. We had a pound of shrimp in the freezer so I decided to try this recipe last night.


I should have known better then to use 2 canned chipotle chilies. The heat level was through the roof. We were both sweating as we ate. And to make matters worse, I'd somehow managed to undercook the rice. That's never happened to me before; if anything I overcook it. Thankfully we had two avoacados that I'd made into guacamole:


... that we are with chips to cool the flames. I took the leftover shrimp and guacamole for lunch today, but I'm planning to make shrimp nachos with it to mellow out the heat. We both thought the recipe had potential, but with way less chipotle next time!

Shrimp in Chipotle Sauce

8 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper
20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used 1 1/2 pounds)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
4 ripe tomatoes, about 1 1/2 pounds, chopped or 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each), chopped tomatoes (I used the canned tomatoes and it made a ton of sauce. I think 1 can is plenty)
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobe, with 1 tablespoon sauce (I would use 1 chile and no sauce, or maybe even half a chile, if you like moderate spice)
1/2 cup Coca-Cola
1/4 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

In a bowl, stir together the garlic, lime juice, salt and pepper. Add the shrimp and toss until thoroughly coated. Let marinate while preparing the sauce, at least 5 minutes.

In a heavy pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and saute until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring constantly, until the color deepens. Using a slotted spoon, trasnfer the tomato mixture to a blender, allowing any excess oil to drip back into the pan. Add the chiles, cola and oregano to the blender and process until you get a textured sauce.

Remove the shrimp from the marinade and pat dry. Return the pan with the reserved oil to medium-high heat, until the oil starts to shimmer. Add half the shrimp and cook until opaque, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining shrimp.

Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the sauce. Fry, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the flavors deepen, about 5 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and cook fo 2 minutes, just to heat through. Serve over steamed white rice, spooning some of the sauce over the shrimp before serving.

UPDATE: I wish I had brought my camera to work so I could show you the beauty that was my lunch. Last night I took the leftover shrimp, wiped off the excess sauce, chopped them into pieces and drizzled them with lime juice. I also shredded some cheddar cheese, put the rest of the guacamole in a container with sour cream, put some tortilla chips in a bag and some salsa in another container. When lunchtime rolled around today I arranged the tortilla chips on a dinner plate I brought from home and topped each chip with some salsa and shrimp, then added the cheese. The plate got microwaved for a minute and a half before being topped with the guacamole and sour cream. This was an outstanding lunch! I love when I can take a meal that was just so-so and remake it into something incredible. I could really taste the lime in the shrimp and all the flavors went beautifully together. And the best past - the spice level was perfect. Yum!