Baja BBQ Shrimp Bowl With Corn Rice
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Servings:
Ingredients
  • canola oil (or another neutral-flavored oil)
  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a knife
  • 1 pound large shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), peeled and deveined
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon pureed chipotle chile en adobo
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste (from a tube), or 2 tablespoons regular tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
  • 1 lime, halved
  • 3 ears corn, shucked, kernels cut from the cobs, and cobs reserved
  • 1 cup long-grain brown rice or quinoa, rinsed
  • 2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
  • 3 or 4 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced (optional)
  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 1 hour and as long as overnight
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon agave syrup, or 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 chipotle chiles en adobo
Directions
  1. To prepare the shrimp, add enough oil to a large skillet to coat it generously and add the garlic. Heat the garlic and oil together over medium-high heat until the oil is hot and slides like water in the pan but is not smoking. Add the shrimp, season with the salt, and cook until they are pink and opaque on both sides about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and move the shrimp to one side of the pan. Add the chipotle puree, tomato paste, soy sauce, and brown sugar and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to meld the flavors. Turn off the heat, squeeze the lime over the shrimp, and toss again.
  2. To assemble the bowls, spoon the grains into four bowls and spoon the beans on top. Pile on the shrimp and cabbage. Drizzle crema over everything and serve each bowl with a lime half.
  3. Put the corn cobs in a tall stockpot with an insert, if you have one, or else in any large pot and add 7 cups water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook the cobs for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the liquid has reduced by half and the stock is corn colored and flavorful. Lift out the insert or strain the stock into a large glass measuring cup or a large bowl and discard the solids.
  4. Measure out 3 1/2 cups of the corn stock. (Save any leftover for the next time you cook grains; if you don’t have enough, supplement water.) Pour the stock into a large saucepan. Add the rice or quinoa and 1 teaspoon of the salt and bring the stock to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat so the liquid is barely simmering, put the lid on the pan, and cook until the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes for quinoa, 20 to 30 minutes for rice. Turn off the heat and let the grains rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover and fluff gently with a fork.
  5. While the grains are cooking, pour enough oil to coat a large skillet and heat the oil over high heat until it is searing hot (it will slide like water in the pan) but not smoking, 2 to 3 minutes; the corn should sizzle when it touches the pan. Add the corn kernels, sprinkle with the sugar (if you are using it) and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring and scraping up the corn that wants to stick to the pan with a metal spatula until the corn is caramelized and begins to snap, crackle, and pop, 4 to 6 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the rice or quinoa and fold the grains and corn together for about 1 minute to warm the grains. Fold in the scallions and serve.
  6. Drain the cashews, reserving 1 cup of the soaking liquid.
  7. Put all the ingredients, including the reserved soaking liquid, in a blender and puree. The end.