Camarones A La Diabla Recipe

Prepare chiles and tomatoes

Remove stems and seeds from guajillo and arbol chiles. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast chiles for 20–40 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned. Remove and set aside. In the same skillet, char the roma tomatoes and the whole white onion (cut side down for onion) until blackened in spots, about 6–8 minutes rotating as needed.

Soak chiles

Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with 1 cup of hot (not boiling) water or hot broth. Let soak 10 minutes until softened. Reserve soaking liquid.

Make the salsa

In a blender, add soaked chiles (discard or reserve any excessively tough stems), charred tomatoes, half the charred onion (reserve the other half for cooking if desired), 2 garlic cloves, 1/2 cup of the chile soaking liquid (or broth), 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, 1/8 tsp cumin, and 1/8 tsp sugar. Blend until very smooth. Taste and adjust salt, sugar, or lime juice for balance. If too thick, add more soaking liquid 1 tbs at a time to reach a saucy consistency.

Cook the salsa

Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Pour the blended salsa through a fine mesh sieve into the skillet (press with a spoon to extract solids) or pour directly if you prefer more texture. Cook 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the salsa darkens slightly and oil separates a bit and raw flavor mellows. Add remaining 1/2 cup broth, simmer 3 minutes. Adjust seasoning with 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp sugar, and 1 tbs lime juice.

Season shrimp

Pat shrimp dry with paper towel. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper and a light drizzle (or toss) of 1 tbs olive oil.

Finish shrimp in salsa

Bring the salsa to a gentle simmer. Add seasoned shrimp in a single layer, spooning salsa over them. Cook 2–3 minutes per side (total 4–6 minutes) until shrimp are pink, opaque and just firm. Do not overcook. Taste sauce and adjust salt/lime as needed. Sprinkle chopped cilantro if using.

Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. In a small saucepan, heat 1 tsp oil over medium-high heat, add drained rice and toast, stirring, for 1–2 minutes. Add 2 cups water, 1 bay leaf and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15–18 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let rest covered 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and discard bay leaf.

Heat 1 tbs oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add finely chopped 1/2 onion and 1 minced garlic clove; sauté 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add drained beans and 1/4 cup water or reserved bean liquid. Mash with a potato masher or fork to your preferred texture, simmer 4–6 minutes until thickened. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and more to taste. For creamier beans, blend briefly or add a splash more water/broth.

Divide rice and beans between plates. Spoon shrimp and generous amount of salsa a la diabla over the shrimp, placing shrimp next to rice and beans. Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.