Hot Sands Shrimp Recipe

Marinate

In a bowl combine lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, chopped chipotle, smoked paprika, cumin, salt and black pepper. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 15–20 minutes (no longer than 30 minutes to avoid overcooking the shrimp).

Cook Shrimp

Heat a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat until hot. Add a thin drizzle of oil and add shrimp in a single layer, cooking 1.5–2 minutes per side until pink, opaque and lightly charred at the edges. Remove from heat and keep warm. Reserve any juices in the pan.

Sweat Aromatics

In a medium saucepan over medium heat melt the butter. Add the diced onion and jalapeño and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more until fragrant.

Make Roux & Milk

Sprinkle the flour over the softened aromatics and cook, stirring, 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste. Gradually whisk in the milk, scraping any browned bits from the pan, and bring to a gentle simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, about 2–3 minutes.

Melt Cheeses

Lower the heat to low and add the cream cheese, stirring until smooth. Add the shredded cheddar and pepper jack in small handfuls, stirring until melted and silky. Stir in the drained diced tomatoes with chiles, cumin, smoked paprika and salt. Taste and add lime juice to brighten and additional salt if needed. Keep the queso over very low heat, stirring occasionally to maintain a smooth texture; if it becomes too thick, whisk in up to 2 tablespoons additional milk.

Arrange tortilla chips on a large platter or individual plates. Spoon warm queso into a shallow bowl placed in the center or scatter spoonfuls over chips as desired.

Top the warm shrimp over the queso or place shrimp on chips and drizzle with a little of the reserved pan juices for extra flavor. Sprinkle chopped cilantro and sliced green onions over the top. Add pickled red onions if using and serve with lime wedges on the side.

Serve immediately so chips stay crisp and queso remains warm. Leftover queso can be reheated gently over low heat with a splash of milk, and shrimp are best eaten right away.