Pickled Shrimp and Tasso Tacos
2014-07-16 08:14:23
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 5 cups water
- 1 pound jumbo fresh shrimp
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- Ground black pepper
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 whole cloves garlic, peeled, divided
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, plus additional as needed
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus additional for frying
- ½ pound pork tasso, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 12 (4½-inch) soft white corn tortillas (see note)
- ¾ cup Avocado Relish, recipe follows
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- ¼ cup sour cream
- Garnish: fresh cilantro
Instructions
- In a small stockpot, bring 5 cups water to a boil. In a large bowl, prepare an ice bath.
- Add shrimp to boiling water and cook until light pink. Drain and cool in an ice bath. Peel and devein shrimp, removing tails.
- In a 1-quart mason jar, layer shrimp and onions; top each layer with ground black pepper, lemon slices, bay leaf, and a clove of garlic. Keep layering until jar is about two-thirds full. Pour apple cider vinegar and lemon juice over shrimp until covered, leaving a gap at the top under lid to mix. Add additional cider vinegar, if necessary, to cover. Seal jar and refrigerate for at least 1 day.
- In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add tasso and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. In the same pan, cook shrimp over medium-low heat until pink and firm, 2 to 3 minutes. Cool slightly and cut into ½-inch cubes.
- In a Dutch oven or heavy stock pot, pour oil to a depth of 2 inches. Heat oil over medium-high heat to 350° on a candy or deep-fry thermometer.
- Place one tortilla in oil, and use a metal spatula to completely submerge. As tortilla starts to float, use spatula to press down in the center of the tortilla. The sides will fold upward. Use metal tongs to keep sides vertical.
- Fry until golden brown, 45 to 60 seconds. Remove from oil, and place inverted on paper towels to drain. Repeat process with remaining tortillas.
- In a small bowl, combine Cajun seasoning and sour cream. Divide shrimp, tasso, and Avocado Relish between taco shells, reserving ¼ cup tasso. On 4 serving plates, place 3 dollops of sour cream evenly spaced on the plate. Place a filled taco on each sour cream dollop and serve. Garnish tacos with reserved tasso and cilantro, if desired.
Notes
- If you can’t find 4½-inch corn tortillas, cut larger ones with a 4½-inch round pastry cutter. Tortilla scraps can be fried as a snack.
Louisiana Cookin https://www.louisianacookin.com/
Avocado Relish
2014-07-16 08:17:47
Yields 3
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced red onion
- 3½ tablespoons seeded and diced jalapeño pepper
- ¼ cup diced roasted red pepper
- Juice of 2 limes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 ripe avocados
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine onion, jalapeño, red pepper, lime juice, salt, and pepper, stirring well. Carefully slice avocados in half, and remove pits. Gently scoop out flesh, and finely dice. Gently stir avocados into vegetable mixture. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until needed.
Louisiana Cookin https://www.louisianacookin.com/
