IT’S TACO TUESDAY TOMORROW!!!!!!    YIPPEE!!!!

Tacos are divine. Mexican food in general is absolutely delicious, but there is something about a well prepared taco that makes my mouth water every time. Make it a Tequila Marinated Shrimp Taco with Lime Crema, and I am in “Foodie Heaven.”

Taco Tuesday

The shrimp featured in this recipe are marinated in tequila, lime juice, and a whole host of spices. I find the combination of the natural shrimp sweetness, the bite of tequila, and the tang from the citrus to be irresistible. Add in a healthy drizzle of lime crema all over your taco and watch it all come together into the perfect bite. The lime crema provides a needed creaminess to balance out all of the tangy flavors in the marinade and is essential for the recipe.

The prep-work is a cinch (especially if you have a food processor) and it only takes about 5 minutes to actually cook the shrimp. The bulk of your time is spent waiting for all of the amazing flavors to infuse throughout the shrimp and the crema. While you wait, I advise that you kick back, grab a beer or margarita, and think about how you will thank everyone for the compliments that will be showered upon you as your family digs in to these tacos.

Shrimp-Tacos
These shrimp tacos are sooooo good!

 


 

Tequila Marinated Shrimp Tacos with Lime Crema

(makes approx. 6 tacos)

 

Ingredients for the Lime Crema:Printable-Recipe-dark

¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup light sour cream

Zest from 1 lime

Juice from ½ lime

½ teaspoon salt

Ground pepper to taste

 

Ingredients for the Marinated Shrimp:

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup white tequila

Zest from 1 lime

Juice from 1 ½ limes

1 teaspoon of minced garlic

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro

Approximately 40 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

 

Suggested garnishes: 6 or 7 soft taco size tortillas, shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, diced avocado, chopped onion, crumbled Queso Fresco or Cotija cheese, hot sauce, chopped cilantro

 

Directions:

Make the Lime Crema first:

Combine all ingredients in a medium size bowl and stir well. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld.

Lime-Zest
I love zesting limes. It adds such a great pop of flavor,

Make the Shrimp:

Combine all ingredients except for the shrimp and cilantro into a medium size bowl and whisk well for a minute. Mix the chopped cilantro into the marinade with a fork.  (I used a whisk instead of a fork and had a few cilantro clumps to pull out of the center of my utensil!)

Whisk
Whisking the marinade.

Pour the marinade into a gallon size Ziploc baggie and add the peeled and deveined shrimp. Shake the bag well to evenly coat the shrimp and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (no longer than 45 minutes).

When ready to cook the shrimp, heat a large 12” nonstick skillet over medium heat. Drain the shrimp (but don’t rinse!) and discard the marinade and baggie. Place the drained shrimp in the hot skillet and sauté for approximately 2 minutes. Stir the shrimp with a spatula or wooden spoon and cook until opaque (approximately 4-5 minutes). Remove from heat.

Shrimp
Yummy shrimp!

To serve:

Spread a dollop of the lime crema on a soft taco sized tortilla. Place about 6 of the cooked shrimp down the center of each tortilla. Garnish with shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, and any additional combination of taco toppings your heart desires. Suggestions include avocado, Queso Fresco, cilantro, hot sauce, etc.

Shrimp-Tacos-2
These shrimp tacos are ready for you to dig in!

 Printable-Recipe-dark