A saucy dish for those who don’t mind eating with their hands. Serve with plenty of crackers or bread for sopping up every last bit of the delicious liquid, and extra napkins, too!
Recipe information
Yield
4 Servings
Ingredients
ancho chile paste
3
3
½
2
2
1
Shrimp and Assembly
2
4
4
1
¾
3
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
ancho Chile Paste
Step 1
Place chiles de árbol and ancho chiles in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water; cover bowl and let stand 30 minutes. Drain, reserving ½ cup liquid. Remove stems and seeds from chiles; discard (leave in some seeds for more heat, if desired).
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat a small cast-iron or other heavy skillet over high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly charred, 8–10 minutes; peel. Purée onion, garlic, chiles, fish sauce, sugar, and ¼ cup soaking liquid in a blender until smooth; season with salt.
Instructions
Step 3
Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened (do not let brown), about 3 minutes. Add ½ cup ancho chile paste (reserve remaining paste for another use) and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes; add cream. Add butter piece by piece, whisking after each addition until emulsified. Once sauce has thickened, mix in lime juice by teaspoonfuls; season ancho butter sauce with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over high heat. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and, working in batches, cook until shells are golden brown and shrimp are opaque in the center, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a large bowl, add warm sauce, and toss to coat; season with salt, pepper, and more lime juice, if desired.
Step 5
Divide shrimp and sauce among bowls, top with parsley, and serve with crackers alongside.