Name: Social Cantina Bloomingtons Shrimp And Street Corn Recipe
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 lb raw medium shrimp (peeled, deveined, tails removed); 1 cups all-purpose flour; 0.25 cups cornstarch; 0.5 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper; 0.5 tsp garlic powder; 0.75 cups cold club soda or sparkling water; 3 cups vegetable oil (for frying); 2 to taste lime wedges (for serving); 3 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from about 3 medium ears) or frozen thawed; 2 tbs unsalted butter; 1 tbs olive oil; 0.5 each jalapeño (small, seeded and finely chopped); 0.5 each shallot (finely chopped); 1 cloves garlic (minced); 0.25 cups mayonnaise; 0.25 cups sour cream or Mexican crema; 2 tbs fresh lime juice; 0.5 tsp smoked paprika; 0.5 tsp chili powder; 0.75 tsp salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper; 3 tsp sriracha; 0.5 cups Mexican crema or sour cream; 0.5 tsp lime zest; 2 tbs fresh cilantro (finely chopped); 0.25 cups cotija cheese (crumbled); 1 tbs extra sriracha (for drizzling); 2 tbs fresh cilantro leaves (for garnish)

Method

Shrimp

Prepare shrimp

Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and set aside in a bowl. Season lightly with 1/4 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper.

Make batter

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and garlic powder. Gradually whisk in cold club soda until a smooth, slightly thick batter forms (should coat the back of a spoon). Keep batter cold — place bowl over an ice bath if your kitchen is warm.

Heat oil

Pour vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed skillet or pot to a depth of about 1.5 inches and heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, oil is ready when a small drop of batter sizzles and rises immediately.

Fry shrimp

Working in batches to avoid crowding, dip shrimp into the batter, letting excess drip off, and carefully lower into the hot oil. Fry until golden and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch depending on shrimp size. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked shrimp to a paper towel-lined tray; sprinkle a light pinch of salt over them while hot.

Keep cooked shrimp warm in a low oven (200°F/95°C) on a baking sheet while you finish esquites and crema.

Esquites (Street Corn Salad)

Cook aromatics

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the chopped shallot and chopped jalapeño and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until softened.

Char the corn

Add the corn kernels to the skillet and spread into an even layer. Let cook without stirring for 2–3 minutes to develop some char, then stir and cook another 3–4 minutes until kernels are tender and have some golden brown spots.

Finish esquites

Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove skillet from heat. Stir in mayonnaise, sour cream (or crema), lime juice, smoked paprika, chili powder, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Fold in 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro. Keep warm or serve at room temperature.

Sriracha Crema & Assembly

Make sriracha crema

In a small bowl combine the sriracha, Mexican crema (or sour cream), and lime zest. Whisk until smooth and taste; add a pinch of salt if needed. Adjust sriracha for heat preference (add more for spicier). Reserve about 1 tablespoon of crema for drizzling and transfer the rest to a squeeze bottle or small bowl for plating.

Plate

Spoon a generous portion (about 3/4 cup) of warm esquites onto each plate. Arrange 6–8 fried shrimp on top of the corn. Drizzle with sriracha crema and an extra thin stream of sriracha for color and heat. Sprinkle crumbled cotija cheese over the top (about 1 to 2 tablespoons per plate). Scatter remaining chopped cilantro and a few whole cilantro leaves for garnish. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

If serving family-style, transfer esquites to a bowl, pile shrimp on top, drizzle crema and sriracha, then finish with cotija and cilantro.