Camarones Sol y Sombra by Chef Susanna Palazuelos.

 

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Firstly, this recipe was personally given to me by tri-lingual Chef, Caterer and Authoress, Susanna Palazuelos of Acapulco, Mexico during her visit and  Sharing of Cultural Culinary Presentations & Demonstrations followed by dinner at the Westin Palace Hotel of Madrid last November 2011.

I had interviewed her while she prepared this dish at the Palace Hotel Restaurant, Rotunda,  for our magazine in print version since 1958.

 

It was heavenly and very simple. As a  matter of fact, this is probably the most delicious Mexican appetiser I have ever prepared, and have had visiting with Susanna both in Mexico and Spain.

The Mango originated in India, and the Tamarind Root Bark in Africa. During the Spanish trade route to the Philippines, and the new markets, China, Manilla, Phillippines and Spain, had introduced these exotic fruits to the New World, and Mexico during the XVI century. Thus, this recipe certainly does exhibit quite an exotic flair and multi ethnicity.

 

CAMARONES SOLY Y SOMBRA ... SHRIMP APPETISER, THE SUN AND THE SHADOW ...

 

Makes 4 Appetiser size Tapa plates ...

 

24 shrimp with shells on

100 grams of butter

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Evoo

 

SALSA DE MANGO ... MANGO SAUCE ...

 

480 grams of mango fruit chopped finely

10 grams of a green chili pepper of choice

15 grams of grated ginger

10 grams or 2 cloves minced garlic

1 tsp. salt

1 tblsp. Evoo

1 tblsp. sugar

300 grams of tomatoes, de-seeded and peeled

 

SALSA DE TAMARINDO ... TAMARIND SAUCE ...

 

400 grams of tamarind root bark Pulp

2 cloves minced garlic

45 grams white onion minced

100 grams sugar

75 Ml. sour cream or crème fraîche

40 grams chipotle chili peppers

 

INSTRUCTIONS ...

 

I )  SALSA DE MANGO - MANGO SAUCE

 

1) Grate the fresh ginger very very finely & put in large bowl

2) peel, and dice the fresh mango extremely finely and put in the bowl with the grated ginger

3) in a skillet, sauté the de-seeded and peeled tomatoes, and the chili peppers de-seeded for 7 to 8 minutes

4) place the above concoction in a Food Processor or Blender and combine. Sprinkle with salt and create a thick salsa.

5) incorporate the sugar and Pulse or combine with the mango, chili peppers and the tomato.

6) rectify the seasoning and place the bowl in cool place covered.

 

II) NOW ... THE SHRIMP:

 

Peel the shrimp and reserve the shells, including the heads, tails and the shells covering the bodies ( note: this recipe removes all the shells; however, I prefer to leave the tails intact and thus, do not remove the tails. ) and place in the frig covered until ready to sauté ...

 

III)  TAMARINDO SALSA ( THE TAMARIND SAUCE ):

 

2) mix the chiptole chili peppers into the water with the tamarind pulp and reserve covered.

 

3) in a hot skillet, sauté the onion, the garlic and then,  the Shrimp Heads, shells of the body / and tails if you have removed them; and sauté until golden and the sauce turns a coral red color.

 

4) salt the chipotle and the water blended mixture and sauté 3 mins. on a slow low flame in another saucepan or small skillet

 

5) Add the 200 Ml. of water and stir 2 mins. and add the sugar stirring to dissolve on a slow flame and add the pulp of the tamarind mixture and slow cook 5 mins. longer.

 

6) Add the prawn / shrimp shells sauce and extract all the liquid in this concoction by placing in F.P. to refine the salsa.

 

7) Now, add the sourcream or the crème fraîche to the tamarind sauce and in the F.P., you wish to obtain a thick, yet creamy smooth light  brown burnt sienna tamarind salsa.   

8)  season and rectify the seasoning, add the sugar if needed and pulse again briefly for combining.

 

THE SHRIMP ...

 

1) sprinkle the shrimps with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2) sauté in butter for only 1 minute and then drizzle with the Evoo

3) In a preheated oven, 160 centig. degrees: place the shrimp in the oven´s  highest rack on a baking tin and bake for 2 to 3 minutes, until bright coral red in color and done inside

4) Collocate on small plates with the two salsa smears, of the 2 sauces

 

 

This dish can be an appetiser, or Tapa or a maincourse and could be served with:

 

1) WHITE RICE

2) SAVOURY FRIED PLANTAINS AND / OR SWEET FRIED BANANAS OR BANANA CHIPS

 

Serve with: a white sparkling wine or rosé sparkling wine from Chile.

 

ENJOY,

Margi.   

 

 

That photo is one beautiful presentation. Is that how she did it at the Palace?

 

The book is called:

 

México una herencia de Sabores which translates to An inheritance of Flavors.

 

It is traditional regional, and modern too ... Fab book, highly suggest it if you love Mexican.This book does not specialise in Tex Mex. Susanna focuses on several regions, including Yucatán, Acapulco, and west coast, Vera Cruz on the east coast and the southern frontier bordering Guatamala and the Mexico D.F. vicinity.  

 

Margi.