I‘ve been on a shrimp kick lately. It’s impossible to get off-the-boat fresh fish here in the high desert so shrimp is a reliable choice for seafood. Plus, I’ve been inspired by two recent restaurant experiences.
 |
| Shrimp po’ boy at Star Provisions |
In Atlanta, we ate shrimp po’ boys at Star Provisions. How could I visit the South without eating at least one deep-fried dish? This was a good choice. Star Provisions’ shrimp po’boy has a lot going for it with full flavors and good quality bread.
Then, we went with friends to the Dragonfly in Taos for lunch. Our choice on the menu? Shrimp soft tacos.
I decided to leave deep-fried food to the experts down South, but I believed I could do my own version of shrimp soft tacos. So I did, twice this week for friends.
 |
| My version of shrimp soft tacos |
I bought a pound of sweet Mexican shrimp at Cid’s Food Market, which is enough for four people. The worst part, of course, is cleaning the darn shrimp. But once that’s done, I chopped the shrimp — who wants to bite into a whole one in a taco? — and marinated them for an hour in a mixture of minced garlic, onion, cilantro, lime juice, and spicy seasonings.
I made a mango salsa (it could have used more heat) and a corn relish for toppings along with sliced avocado. As for the tortillas, I prefer the spouted corn tortillas to the regular because they stay moister after they are heated.
A plus about this dish: the parts can be made ahead of time. I drain the shrimp and sauté them just before serving — as I warm the tortillas. Then, at the table people fix their own. The dish can get a little messy on the plate, but, hey, that’s what forks are for.