Shrimp Vera Cruz
Here’s a delicious shrimp recipe that’s fast and easy to make.
Use medium to large shrimp, and to save time and trouble, you can usually buy them peeled, de-veined, and frozen. One bag of 15-20 shrimp is enough for four servings, unless there’s a hog at the table.
Serve it over rice, as shown, or in little individual casserole dishes, or even in scallop shells if you have them. The sauce is delicious, so you’ll want either rice, tortillas, or bread to soak up the excess.
Here I’ve served the dish with refried beans and avocado slices. If you don’t serve it over rice, you could also add Mexican rice as a side dish.
I fell in love with this dish at a local restaurant, and managed to get the recipe smuggled out of the kitchen by a friendly waitress one night. For historical purposes, the original is shown on the right written on a piece of wax paper. I’ve modified the recipe slightly for home cooking. Here’s how to make Shrimp Vera Cruz.
INGREDIENTS
12-15 (or more) medium or large shrimp, peeled and de-veined (shells left on tail for a handle)
1 medium tomato, diced*
2 chopped green onions, or some diced regular onion*
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro*
1 cup white wine
8 tablespoons (one stick) butter, cut into several pieces
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Tabasco
INSTRUCTIONS
* These ingredients are used 1/2 for the sauce and 1/2 later for garnish.
Simmer all the ingredients except the shrimp, butter, and garnish. After five minutes or so, add the shrimp and continue to simmer until the shrimp is pink, turning the shrimp once in a while. This will only take another five minutes or less. Remove the shrimp temporarily to a bowl, and whisk the butter into the sauce one piece at a time to make the sauce. After that’s done, dump the shrimp back into the pan, cover it to keep warm, turn off the heat, and get ready to serve.
To be authentic, serve this with white wine or Mexican beer. Warm tortillas on the side will help soak up the yummy sauce.