Camarones a la Veracruzana

Preparation

Hailing from the Mexican state of Veracruz, this eponymous dish involves tossing shrimp in a smooth, spicy sauce imbued with tomato, chiles, olives, and capers. Here, chef Paola Briseño-Gonzáles likes to first char her chiles on a grill pan to enhance their natural smokiness. The velvety sauce is finished with a dose of olive brine before you fold in the plump shrimp. The best part? The whole thing comes together in less than 30 minutes.

*This recipe originally ran in Mexico on HexClad.mx.

1. In a medium bowl, season shrimp with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature while you make the sauce. 

2. On a HexClad 12" Hybrid Griddle Pan, char tomatoes over medium-high heat, turning occasionally with tongs, charred in spots and beginning to burst, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender. Add chipotle chiles and ½ cup/120ml water; puree until smooth. 

3. In a HexClad 4.5QT/4.3L Hybrid Deep Sauté Pan, heat 1½ tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add shrimp and cook, flipping once, until pink on both sides, about 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a plate.

4. In the sauté pan, heat remaining 1½ tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add onions and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add tomato-chile puree and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 10 to 12 minutes. Add olive brine and cooked shrimp to sauce and cook, string gently until shrimp is warmed through, about 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat and stir in olives, capers, and lime juice. Season with salt, if needed. Garnish with parsley and serve with rice pilaf, if desired.