Spicy grilled shrimp, crunchy cabbage, fresh cilantro, and creamy avocado dip used as sauce in soft corn tortillas make for wonderful tacos. Squeeze lots of fresh lime over the top. While the shrimp are marinating, prep your taco add-ins. The taco spice blend works for other dishes too, like chicken and fish. If you like things really spicy, increase the quantity of chipotle powder in the spice blend, but be careful! If you have extra of the avocado dip, it makes a great snack with raw veggies or baked corn chips.
1/16teaspoonchipotle powderskip for no heat or more for higher heat
Shrimp Tacos
1 ¼poundssmall wild raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails off26-30 size
2teaspoonsolive oil
1limejuiced
2tomatoesseeded and diced
¼green cabbagethinly sliced
¼red cabbagethinly slices
½bunch cilantroor use Italian parsley
2-3limesquartered
1jalapenooptional
1recipe creamy avocado dip
8organic corn tortillas
Instructions
Place all of the spice blend ingredients into a jar with a tight lid and shake to blend. Be sure to label it with the name and date you made it. Spices last about 6 months in the panty.
Place the shrimp in a medium bowl, toss with the olive oil and lime juice, then add 1 ½ tablespoons of the taco spice blend and mix to coat throughly. Allow the shrimp to stand and marinate at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
While the shrimp are marinating, prep your veggie add-ins and make the creamy avocado dip to be used as a sauce for the tacos. Chop the tomatoes, slice the cabbage very thin, chop the cilantro fine and quarter the limes to squeeze on the tacos. Slice the jalapeño crosswise into thin rings, if using.
When shrimp are almost done marinating, place the grilling basket or skillet on the grill and heat up the grill over high for 7-10 minutes. When the grill is hot, add the shrimp to the basket and grill, stirring or shaking occasionally. It will take about 3-4 minutes for the shrimp to cook. Alternatively you can broil the shrimp in the oven, use a grill pan, or cook them in a non-stick fry pan.
Warm the tortillas, then lay them flat on plates, two per person. Top with the avocado dip, then layer on shrimp, tomato, cabbage, and cilantro. Serve tacos with lime wedges to squeeze over the top. Add jalapeños, if using.
Notes
For the creamy avocado sauce, add a peeled and seeded avocado, 2-3 tablespoons of Vegenaise (or your favorite mayo), 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and the juice of a lime, and pinch of salt and puree in a food processor until smooth.