El Teofilo Taco Recipe

Name: Taconetas El Teofilo Taco Recipe
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 lb raw shrimp (peeled, deveined, tails optional); 2 tbs vegetable oil; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 0.5 cup white onion (small, finely chopped); 2 tbs chipotle peppers in adobo (stems removed); 1 tsp dried guajillo chile powder or ground guajillo; 0.5 cup tomato sauce; 1 tbs lime juice (fresh); 0.5 tsp brown sugar; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 0.25 cup water; 8 pcs corn tortillas (6-inch); 2 cups melting cheese (Monterey Jack, Oaxaca, or Chihuahua), shredded; 1 tbs unsalted butter or oil for toasting tortillas; 2 tbs fresh cilantro (chopped); 0.25 cup white onion (finely chopped) — for garnish; 4 pcs lime wedges — for serving; 0.5 cup pickled red onion or quick slaw (optional)

Inspired by Taconeta

Time35m

Serves4

Shrimp a la diabla, melted cheese.

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Ingredients

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Shrimp a la Diabla

1 lb raw shrimp (peeled, deveined, tails optional)

2 tbs Tuscany sunflower oil

3 cloves Garlic (minced)

1/2 cup white onion (small, finely chopped)

2 tbs chipotle peppers in adobo (stems removed)

1 tsp dried guajillo chile powder or ground guajillo

1/2 cup Tomato sauce

1 tbs lime juice (fresh)

1/2 tsp Brown sugar

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup water

Cheese & Tacos

8 pcs corn tortillas (6-inch)

2 cups melting cheese (Monterey Jack, Oaxaca, or Chihuahua), shredded

1 tbs unsalted butter or oil for toasting tortillas

2 tbs fresh cilantro (chopped)

1/4 cup white onion (finely chopped) — for garnish

4 pcs lime wedges — for serving

1/2 cup pickled red onion or quick slaw (optional)

Method

Shrimp a la Diabla

Prepare sauce

In a blender, combine chipotle peppers in adobo, tomato sauce, guajillo chile powder, brown sugar, lime juice, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup water. Blend until smooth to make a spicy red sauce. Taste and adjust salt or sugar to balance heat. Set aside.

Sauté aromatics

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and chopped white onion; sauté about 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant but not browned.

Cook shrimp in sauce

Pour the blended sauce into the skillet with the aromatics. Bring to a gentle simmer, then add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook shrimp 2–4 minutes, turning once, until opaque and just cooked through. Shrimp will curl and become firm. Stir occasionally to coat with sauce. If sauce is too thick, add up to 2 tablespoons water to loosen.

Finish

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or a squeeze of lime if needed. Remove from heat and keep warm while assembling tacos.

Cheese & Tacos

Toast tortillas

Warm a large heavy skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Brush each tortilla lightly with a little butter or oil and toast 30–45 seconds per side until pliable and beginning to brown in spots. Keep warm wrapped in a clean towel.

Melt cheese

Reduce heat to medium. Place two tortillas together in the skillet, sprinkle about 1/4 cup shredded cheese on one tortilla, then top with another tortilla (or fold the single tortilla over, if preferred). Heat until cheese melts, about 1–2 minutes per side, pressing lightly with a spatula. Repeat to make 8 cheesy tortillas (makes 8 tacos).

Assemble tacos

Divide the saucy shrimp evenly among the cheesy tortillas (about 2–3 shrimp per taco depending on size). Spoon extra diabla sauce over the shrimp for extra heat and flavor.

Garnish and serve

Top each taco with a small sprinkle of chopped cilantro and finely chopped onion. Add pickled red onion or quick slaw if using. Serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing over tacos.