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Restaurants›El Barco – Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar in Boston’s Back Bay›Shrimp Taco Recipe

Shrimp Taco Recipe

Name: El Barco – Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar in Boston’s Back Bays Shrimp Taco Recipe
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 lb raw shrimp (16/20 size), peeled & deveined; 1 tbs olive oil; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 1 each lime (zested and juiced); 3 cups red cabbage, thinly shredded; 0.25 cups fresh cilantro, chopped; 0.25 cups red onion, very thinly sliced; 2 tbs apple cider vinegar; 1 tbs olive oil; 1 tsp honey; 0.5 tsp kosher salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper; 1 cup ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced; 0.25 cups white onion, finely diced; 0.25 cups fresh cilantro, chopped; 1 each serrano pepper, seeded and minced; 1 tbs fresh lime juice; 0.5 tsp kosher salt; 1 each fresno pepper, thinly sliced; 0.5 each serrano pepper, thinly sliced (for topping); 1 tsp olive oil; 0.125 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 cups sour cream or Mexican crema; 2 tbs mayonnaise; 1 tbs lime juice; 0.5 tsp lime zest

Inspired by El Barco – Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar in Boston’s Back Bay

Time40m

Serves4

Red Cabbage Slaw, Serrano & Fresno, Peppers, Lime Crema, Pico de Gallo

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Ingredients

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Shrimp

1 lb raw shrimp (16/20 size), peeled & deveined

1 tbs olive oil

1 tsp Ground cumin

1 tsp Smoked paprika

1 tsp Watkins garlic powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 each lime (zested and juiced)

Red Cabbage Slaw

3 cups red cabbage, thinly shredded

1/4 cups Fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 cups red onion, very thinly sliced

2 tbs Apple cider vinegar

1 tbs olive oil

1 tsp Honey

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Pico de Gallo

1 cup ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/4 cups white onion, finely diced

1/4 cups Fresh cilantro, chopped

1 each serrano pepper, seeded and minced

1 tbs Fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Peppers

1 each fresno pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 each serrano pepper, thinly sliced (for topping)

1 tsp olive oil

1/8 tsp kosher salt

Lime Crema

1/2 cups sour cream or Mexican crema

2 tbs Mayonnaise

1 tbs ReaLime juice

1/2 tsp lime zest

1/2 tsp Garlic, minced

1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tsp water (to thin, optional)

Assembly

8 each small corn or flour tortillas

1 each fresh lime wedges

Method

Shrimp

Marinate shrimp

Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl combine 1 tbs olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper and the zest and juice of 1 lime. Add shrimp and toss to coat thoroughly. Let sit 10 minutes while preparing other components.

Cook shrimp

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the marinated shrimp in a single layer (cook in two batches if needed). Sear 1–2 minutes per side until opaque and lightly charred. Remove from heat and set aside. Squeeze a little extra lime juice over shrimp if desired.

Red Cabbage Slaw

In a bowl whisk together apple cider vinegar, 1 tbs olive oil, honey, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Add shredded red cabbage, chopped cilantro and sliced red onion. Toss to coat well. Let sit at least 10 minutes to soften and meld flavors (can be made up to 2 hours ahead). Taste and adjust salt or vinegar as needed.

Pico de Gallo

Combine diced tomatoes, white onion, chopped cilantro and minced serrano in a small bowl. Add 1 tbs fresh lime juice and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Stir gently and let rest 5–10 minutes for flavors to marry. Keep chilled until assembly.

Peppers

Heat a small skillet over medium heat with 1 tsp olive oil. Add sliced fresno and 1/2 sliced serrano; sauté 2–3 minutes until just softened and slightly blistered. Season with 1/8 tsp kosher salt. Remove from heat and set aside.

Lime Crema

Whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, 1 tbsp lime juice, lime zest, minced garlic and 1/4 tsp salt in a small bowl. If too thick, add up to 1 tsp water to reach drizzling consistency. Taste and adjust acidity or salt.

Assembly

Warm the tortillas: wrap in a damp towel and microwave 30–45 seconds or warm briefly in a dry skillet until pliable.

Build each taco: place 2–3 cooked shrimp in center of a warmed tortilla. Top with a generous spoonful of red cabbage slaw, a spoonful of pico de gallo, and a few sautéed pepper slices. Drizzle lime crema over the top and add additional fresh sliced serrano if desired for heat.

Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side. Yields about 8 tacos.