Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Shrimp Tacos


It's no secret that I adore seafood in all it's forms and shapes.  And shrimp seems to have a special place in my heart.
  Growing up, shrimp was prohibitively expensive and we rarely had it but when we did it was a real treat!  The texture and sweet taste made it so memorable in my mind.
  The number one rule when cooking shrimp is to make sure it is not overcooked which results in a rubbery tasteless waste of food.  I remember watching a friend dump a block of frozen shrimp into boiling water.  I cringed...I knew by the time it was done that it would be an abomination...and it was!
  The best way to thaw frozen shrimp if you're pressed for time is to put it in a bowl under tepid running water.  It takes very little time at all.
Several days ago I was hungry for something a little different for lunch.  Looking at the tortillas on the counter and remembering I had some frozen shrimp in the freezer, I had a tasty idea which sent me to the Internet.  By the time the shrimp had thawed, I had everything ready to go.  Yeah, it's pretty quick which makes it even better!

Shrimp Tacos

8 oz medium shrimp, patted dry
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon of olive oil plus more for frying
6 corn tortillas (either fried or softened depending on how you like your tacos)
Any toppings you like such as: lettuce, tomato, avocado, guacamole, sour cream, hot sauce....

Combine all the ingredients except the tortillas and toppings and let marinade for at least 20 minutes covered in a cool place.
Heat olive oil in a pan and add shrimp stirring just until done.  (Do NOT overcook)
Divide among prepared tortillas and enjoy!