Jumbo Shrimps in Creamy Guajillo Chile Sauce

The Guajillo (wha-hee-oh) chile is the most common dried chile in Mexico after the Ancho. The flavor of the Guajillo is distinct, slightly fruity with a strong piney, berry under taste. Guajillo flavors dished easily so a little goes a long way. This chile is between a 2-4 on the heat scale of 1-10. Guajillo, combined with the Passilla and Ancho, form the holy trinity of chiles used to prepare the traditional mole sauces.

Heat Scale
Submit Recipe

Yields 2 Servings

Ingredients

  • 5 dried Guajillo chiles
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp oregano (preferably Mexican)
  • 2 tbsps olive oil
  • 4 medium onions
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup sour cream (or creme fraiche)
  • 1 lb raw peeled jumbo shrimp
  • Salt & pepper to season

Instructions

 

  • Toast the Guajillo chiles for two to three minutes on each side in a dry, hot sautee pan. Cover the chiles in boiling water and ensure they are submerged by placing a saucer on top of them. Leave to soak for about 30 minutes.
  • Drain the chiles, retaining about a half cup of the soaking liquid. Split them open and remove the veins and seeds – you can do this easily by rinsing them gently under the cold tap. Pop the Guajillo chiles in a blender, add the half cup of retained soaking liquid and blend it to a puree.
  •  Pass the Guajillo chile puree through a sieve, otherwise you’ll have bits of tough chile skin in your sauce.
  • Dry the sautee pan, and then add the cumin seeds and let them toast for a few minutes.
  • Coarsely grind the toasted cumin seeds with the oregano.
  • Heat the olive oil in your sautee pan and add the roughly chopped onions and crushed garlic. Add the spice mix and fry, stirring to combine the flavors, for a couple of minutes.
  • Add the Guajillo chile puree and sour cream to the pan and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Stir frequently. The sauce should thicken.
  • Add salt and pepper to the sauce to your taste.
  • Add the shrimp and cook, stirring gently, for about 5 minutes.
  • Cover the pan, turn off the heat and leave to stand for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.  This ensures the shrimps are cooked through without drying them out.
  • Serve on a bed of rice with a sprinkle of fresh coriander to garnish.

Recipe adapted from Shizzling, 2010