Shrimp Tacos with Adobo Sauce

When I'm home alone, I sometimes struggle with the motivation to make a real meal. I'm usually just happy to eat pretzels for dinner and a margarita for dessert while I watch 3 hours of The Office in my pj's. So it's probably just as well my family don't leave me to my own devices too often. When they are home (which is most of the time) I cook. I'm lucky that I get to choose what we eat most days (cooks privileges) and that we all have pretty similar tastes (oily fish V. white fish notwithstanding). But, there are those little differences in my boys food preferences that can make putting a meal on the table a bit stressful. One doesn't like rice very much, neither likes polenta, they'll only eat a certain type of noodle, blah, blah, blah. But what we all adore is south-western, Tex-Mex and Mexican food... wrap anything in a tortilla and my family will inhale it. I seriously do not go a week without making something from this fresh, healthy, amazing, delicious, crowd-pleasing style of cuisine. Fortunately, this means I still get to have a margarita for dessert. Isn't there a law that states you can't have a taco without a margarita? And if there isn't, there should be.


Shrimp Tacos with Adobo Sauce
slightly adapted from Coupon Clipping Cook
Serves 4

For the Tacos:
Flour tortillas
500g raw shrimp, deveined and shelled
1/2 teaspoon ancho chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon sea salt flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped coriander
3 tablespoons chopped red onions
1 cup shredded green cabbage
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1 Lime

For the Adobo Sauce:
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finley chopped
1/4 cup mascarpone
1/2  lime
1/4 teaspoon sea salt flakes
2 tablespoons buttermilk, or more if needed to thin the sauce

Chop the coriander and onion, thinly slice the green and red cabbage and set aside.

In a small bowl mix together the chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, mascarpone, lime juice, buttermilk and salt. Add a little more buttermilk if the sauce is too thick. Set aside.

Put the shrimp in a medium size bowl and add the chilli powder, garlic powder, pepper, cumin, and salt. Mix together so that the shrimp is coated with the spices.

In a medium size frying pan add the olive oil. Then add the shrimp. Turn the shrimp as they cook until each side is lightly browned (about 6 minutes). Reserve the olive oil in the pan, and remove the shrimp on to a cutting board or plate.

Cut the shrimp in half and put them in a bowl. Then add the remaining olive oil from the pan in with the pieces of shrimp and mix together.

Warm the tortillas in the microwave for about 10 to 12 seconds.Then top with the shrimp, onion, coriander, and the green and red cabbage. Drizzle the adobo sauce on top. Serve while the tortilla is still warm, and with a quarter piece of lime.