Shrimp Mezcal Recipes

MEZCAL SHRIMP TACOS WITH GUAC CREMA

Steps:

• Gather your ingredients.
• For the crema: Seed and chop green chili. Halve and pit avocado. To a food processor or high power blender, add the juice of 1 lime, chili, scoop in the avocado, onion and crema or sour cream and process into a smooth sauce. Season with salt to taste.
• For the tacos: Finely chop onion. Place tomatoes in a strainer to drain. Pat shrimp dry. Peel garlic and thinly slice, grate or chop garlic.
• Heat a large cast-iron or wide, shallow skillet over medium-high heat with EVOO, 2 turns of the pan. Melt butter into oil and when it foams add onion, garlic, cumin, paprika and chipotle in adobo. Swirl and toss a minute. Add tomatoes, cook a minute or 2 more, then add mezcal and a drizzle of honey -- be mindful of a flare up. Swirl a minute more. Add the shrimp to the sauce, season with salt and pepper and cook, turning occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes. Add juice of lime, remove from heat.
• Char tortillas in a hot stainless pan over high heat or over open flame on gas burners. Blister the tortillas 20 to 30 seconds and stack in a cloth napkin or towel to keep warm.
• Serve shrimp in serving bowl with tortillas, crema, lettuce, lime wedges and toppings alongside.
• To build tacos: Slather or squirt sauce on tortilla, top with lettuce, shrimp -- squirt on more lime juice of you like, cilantro, jalapenos, radishes, cheese and scallions.

MEXICAN SHRIMP COCKTAIL

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients. Stir in soda, Clamato juice, lime juice and ketchup. Add shrimp. Refrigerate, covered, at least 2 hours., Just before serving, add avocados. Serve with a slotted spoon and tortilla chips.

SHRIMP QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• For salsa, place the first nine ingredients in a blender; cover and process until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside., Sprinkle the cheese, chilies, tomato, onions and shrimp over half of each tortilla; fold over. , In a large skillet over medium heat, cook quesadillas in butter for 1-2 minutes on each side or until cheese is melted. Cut into wedges. Serve with salsa. Refrigerate leftover salsa.

SHRIMP MEZCAL

Steps:

• Sauté shrimp in butter for 1 minute. Add garlic and tequila and ignite with a match. As flame burns down, add remaining ingredients. Simmer 3 minutes or until shrimp turns pink.
• Serve garnished with tomatoes and cilantro. Serve immediately.

MEZCAL OLD-FASHIONED

Steps:

• Combine 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, 8 drops mole bitters (such as Bittermens) and 2 teaspoons warm water in a rocks glass; stir until most of the sugar is dissolved. Add 1 large ice cube (or 3 regular ice cubes) and pour in 2 ounces mezcal joven. Stir until the cocktail is chilled and the mezcal is diluted, about 20 seconds. Twist a strip of orange peel over the top and rub it on the inside rim of the glass before dropping it into the cocktail.

GARLIC-JALAPEñO SHRIMP

Steps:

• Toss together shrimp, garlic, jalapeno, lime juice, and 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Marinate in refrigerator for 45 minutes.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove shrimp from marinade, and add to skillet; cook through, about 2 minutes per side.