Shrimp And Cactus Salad Food

CAESAR SALAD WITH SHRIMP

Steps:

• For the garlicky croutons: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• Spread out the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the garlic oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, tossing the croutons once halfway through, until crisp, about 25 minutes. Set aside and cool completely.
• For the Caesar dressing: Put the garlic oil in a blender. Add the anchovies, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Add the Parmesan and give it a quick blitz. (You want to retain some of the texture of the cheese.)
• For the salad: Peel and pit the avocados, then slice lengthwise into spears and sprinkle with some lemon juice to prevent browning. Set aside.
• Arrange the romaine in a line on a platter with the inside of each quarter-head of lettuce facing upward. Drizzle the dressing over the lettuce, allowing it to seep into the layers of leaves. Arrange the shrimp on top, along with the croutons. Scatter the cheese shavings and parsley leaves over the top. Squeeze the lemon half over the whole platter and serve.

SHRIMP CAKES WITH CACTUS STRIPS IN GUAJILLO SAUCE

Steps:

• Cover chiles with hot water; let stand 15 min. Drain chiles, reserving 1 cup soaking liquid; add reserved liquid and chiles to blender. Add dressing, onion and 1 Tbsp. ground shrimp; blend 3 min. or until smooth. Pour into large saucepan; bring to boil. Stir in cactus strips; cover. Simmer on medium-low heat 15 min.
• Heat oil to 375ºF in medium skillet. Mix remaining ground shrimp and cracker crumbs in large bowl; set aside. Beat egg whites in medium bowl with mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form; gently stir in egg yolks just until combined. Gently stir half the egg mixture into shrimp mixture. Repeat with remaining egg mixture.
• Cook 4 shrimp cakes at a time in hot oil 45 sec. on each side or until golden brown on both sides, using 1/4 cup of the shrimp mixture for each cake. Drain on paper towels. Add to sauce in saucepan; cook 10 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

SHRIMP AND NOPAL CACTUS SALAD

Steps:

• Pare the spines from the cactus; trim the base and around the edge. Dice into 3/4 x 1/4-inch pieces. Blanch in boiling water for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Combine with the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours or until cold. Serve cold with baked corn tortillas.

SHRIMP AND AVOCADO SALAD WITH CITRUS VINAIGRETTE (CAMARONES A LA VINAGRETA)

Steps:

• Cook the shrimp: In a pot, combine 1 quart water with 1 tablespoon salt. Add peppercorns and bay leaves and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Prepare an ice bath: Add enough ice to a large bowl until half full. Sprinkle the ice with 2 tablespoons salt and top with enough cold water to cover. Set aside.
• When the water boils, stir the shrimp into the hot water and turn off the heat. Let cook until just pink and opaque, 1 to 2 minutes depending on size of shrimp. Drain shrimp and transfer to the ice bath. Stir well and set aside until shrimp are completely chilled, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain shrimp again and transfer to paper or kitchen towels to dry.
• Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, stir together tomatoes, red onion, oil, fruit juices, herbs and mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add shrimp, toss to coat and chill for at least 1 hour (or up to 1 day).
• When ready to serve, peel and dice the avocado and fold into the shrimp salad. Serve chilled, in a serving bowl or on individual plates lined with lettuce leaves.

CACTUS SHRIMP WITH CACTUS-LIME-BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Pulse tunas (cactus fruit) briefly in a food processor or blender; strain.
• Set aside 1 cup puréed tunas, and reserve remaining 1/4 cup for Cactus-Lime-Butter Sauce.
• Combine 1 cup tempura mix and the achiote paste in a blender or food processor, and pulse until smooth.
• Place mixture in a medium-size bowl, add 1 cup puréed tunas, and mix well.
• Chill.
• Dust shrimp with cornstarch.
• Dip each shrimp individually into tempura-tuna batter, and fry in hot oil (375°) until golden brown, frying only 3-4 at a time.
• Drain well.
• For the Cactus-Lime-Butter Sauce: Combine wine, cilantro, and shallot in a heavy 2 quart saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat until wine is almost gone.
• While the wine is reducing, zest the lime; set zest aside.
• Juice the lime; set juice aside.
• When the wine has reduced to almost nothing, add lime zest, lime juice, and heavy cream, stirring constantly with a whisk.
• Lower heat, and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
• Remove from heat for about 5 minutes.
• While the pot is still hot, slowly begin whisking in the butter, a tablespoon at a time, until smooth.
• Strain through a fine sieve.
• Keep sauce warm-if it becomes too cold or too hot, the sauce will separate, and you'll have to begin the process again.
• Fold in the remaining 1/4 cup cactus fruit purée.
• Yield: Enough sauce for Cactus Shrimp.

ENSALADA DE NOPALES Y CAMARONES - CACTUS AND SHRIMP SALAD

Steps:

• Seed and dice tomatoes. Chop onion and cilantro. Finely dice the jalapeno and mix all together in a large bowl. Set aside.
• In a separate medium sized bowl, combine the garlic and half of the extra virgin olive oil. Brush the nopales with the garlic oil to coat using a basting brush, season both sides with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve the leftover garlic oil.
• Place the cactus on a preheated a grill or grill pan over a medium-high flame and cook until limp, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove and allow to cool, then cut the pads into ¼-inch thick strips. Add to the tomato mixture.
• Brush the shrimp with the reserved garlic oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 3 minutes on each side, until firm and pink and add to the tomato-nopales mixture.
• Add the vinegar, tequila and remaining olive oil and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in a lettuce leaf or corn tortilla.