Shrimp Stuffed Nopales Recipes

STUFFED SHRIMP

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, horseradish and Parmesan cheese until blended. Cut a small hole in the corner of a resealable plastic bag; add cream cheese mixture. Butterfly the shrimp along the outside curves. Pipe about 1 teaspoon cream cheese mixture into each shrimp. , Arrange on a serving platter. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with seafood sauce if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

SHRIMP-STUFFED JALAPENO POPPERS

Steps:

• Cut off the tops of the jalapenos and scoop out the seeds. Pat the shrimp dry and generously season with salt. Insert 1 shrimp into each jalapeno, leaving the tail sticking out.
• Whisk 3/4 cup flour, the cornstarch, Old Bay and beer in a medium bowl until smooth; set aside. Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F. Whisk the remaining 3/4 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a shallow bowl.
• Working in batches, dredge the jalapenos in the flour, shaking off any excess, then dip in the beer batter, coating the shrimp and jalapeno completely. Fry, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through and the jalapenos are golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; season with salt. Serve with malt vinegar.

SHRIMP-STUFFED NOPALES

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a medium-size heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper, onion, and tomato and sauté for 8 minutes, or until the pepper is nearly tender. Add the shrimp and sauté for 2 minutes, or until just cooked through. Season the stuffing to taste with salt and pepper, and set it aside.
• Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Using a small sharp knife, carefully cut a slit along one long side of each nopal without cutting all the way through, to make something resembling a pita pocket. Grill the nopales for 4 minutes per side, or until they are tender and grill marks appear.
• Stuff the nopales with the shrimp mixture, dividing it equally, and serve with lime wedges and hot sauce.

CRAB 'N' SHRIMP STUFFED TAMALES

Steps:

• For the seafood stuffing: Roughly chop the shrimp up into chunky pieces. Set a large saute pan over high heat. Add the olive oil and garlic. Once the garlic begins to sizzle, add the shrimp. Saute until just pink, about 2 minutes, and then add the crabmeat. Season with the cumin, paprika and some salt and pepper. Gently fold the mixture together, and then shut off the heat and add the lime juice. Allow to cool. Divide the mixture; you will use one half to stuff the tamales, and one half for the seafood sauce.
• For the tamales: Mix the masa, 1 1/4 cups water, butter and salt into a thick paste. To prepare the tamales, set a corn husk out on a flat surface (double up or shingle 2 husks if they are small or have tears). Add 5 tablespoons of the masa mix into the center of the corn husk. Push the mixture to 1 inch from the side of the husk. Add 2 tablespoons of seafood stuffing to the center. Fold one edge of the husk to the center, and then fold the other side to cover the entire tamale. Fold the ends over by 2 inches and tuck under to hold in place.
• Place a colander in large pot of boiling water, but do not let the colander touch the water. Place the tamales in the colander, cover and steam the tamales for 30 to 40 minutes.
• For the red seafood sauce: First, rehydrate the chile pepper. Place the dried chile in a cup of hot water and let sit for 10 minutes.
• Set a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and saute the fennel, onion and garlic until translucent and fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine, and then simmer to evaporate some of the wine, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cumin, chile pepper, the water from the chile pepper and the can of tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook until the liquid reduces and the flavors come together, about 20 minutes. Blend until smooth with a stick blender, and then fold in the remaining half of the seafood stuffing. Taste and season once more if needed. Serve the red seafood sauce over the crab and shrimp tamales.

CHEESE STUFFED BREADED FRIED NOPALES (CACTUS PADDLES)

Steps:

• Mix first 3 ingredients and place this mixture betwen two nopal slices. You can also use just one slice, spreading filling on one side, rolling it and securing ends with a toothpick.
• Pass through beaten egg and then through bread crumbs.
• Fry in hot oil and serve.

CHEESY SHRIMP-STUFFED TWICE-BAKED POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Prick potatoes several times with a fork and place onto a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 30 minutes.
• Slice off the top 1/3 of each baked potato. Use a spoon to scoop out all of the pulp from the potatoes and the tops, and place in a large mixing bowl. Set the emptied potato shells and tops onto a baking sheet.
• Add softened butter to the potato pulp; mix on medium to high speed until well combined. Then blend in sour cream, salt, and pepper.
• Roughly chop all but 4 shrimp. Stir chopped shrimp into the potato mixture with the Cheddar cheese until combined, then spoon it into the potato shells, molding it high. Add any overflow that won't fit into the top pieces. Slice 4 remaining shrimp in half lengthwise and arrange 2 pieces on top of each filled potato.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted, filling is heated through, and top is lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.

HUARACHES - STUFFED PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS PADDLES - STUFFED NOPALE

Steps:

• Place the whole cactus paddles, onion and garlic in a large pot with water to cover and salt to taste.
• Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes, or until the nopales are tender but still firm.
• Drain and rinse.
• Starting at the wide, curved end, carefully slice each paddle horizontally, as if butterflying a chop for stuffing.
• Do not cut all the way through to the narrow end (the thicker part where the pad is attached to the main plant) but leave approximately 1 1/2" uncut.
• Place a slice of cheese between the two sections and press flat.
• Dredge the paddles in flour.
• Beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks, and fold in the lightly beaten egg yolks.
• Pour enough oil into large skillet so that it comes up at least 1/2 inch.
• Heat the oil until sizzling hot.
• Dip the stuffed nopales in the egg batter to coat and fry in the hot oil until golden brown on each side.
• Serve immediately with red salsa.

HOOLEY'S DEVIL STUFFED SHRIMP

Steps:

• Slice shrimp down the back as deep as you can without cutting through, to make a nice opening for stuffing. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the crabmeat, chili sauce, horseradish, hot pepper sauce and capers. Mix in enough of the cream cheese to form a sticky paste.
• Stuff the openings of each shrimp with about 1 tablespoon of the crab salad. Sprinkle paprika over the top. Chill for about 30 minutes before serving.

SHRIMP-STUFFED SOLE

Steps:

• Sprinkle fillets with lemon juice and onion salt; set aside. Pour 2 tablespoons butter into an 8-in. square microwave-safe dish. Add the shrimp, milk, celery and parsley. Cover and microwave on high for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes or until celery is tender. Stir in bread cubes. , Spoon shrimp mixture onto fillets. Starting with a short side, roll up each and secure with toothpicks. Place in a greased shallow microwave-safe dish. Brush with remaining butter; sprinkle with paprika. , Cover and microwave on high for 4-6 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Discard toothpicks.

SHRIMP-STUFFED AREPAS

Steps:

• Blend water and corn in blender until smooth; pour into large bowl. Add masa harina and milk; stir until mixture forms soft dough. Divide into 6 portions; flatten each to 5-inch round. Cook on large griddle on medium-high heat 12 min. or until both sides are golden brown, turning occasionally.
• Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add peppers and garlic; cook and stir 1 min. Stir in shrimp; cook and stir 2 to 3 min. or until shrimp turn pink. Add tomatoes, cilantro and lime juice; mix lightly. Remove from heat.
• Split arepas; fill with cheese, shrimp mixture and avocados.

SAUTEED NOPALES

Steps:

• If cactus paddles still have thorns, grasp with a gloved hand or pair of tongs and shave with a sharp knife (be sure to peel just the thorns). Rinse under cold water.
• To cut nopales, hold paddle in your hand and shave off 2-inch-long slivers with a knife, turning paddle every few cuts so that pieces remain uniform.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add nopales and half of the chopped onions. Boil briskly for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse in 2 changes of cold water.
• In a large saute pan over medium heat, cook remaining onion with the garlic in the oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Add nopales, tomatoes, and chiles, season with salt, and cook for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in cilantro and remove from heat. Serve hot or at room temperature.