A Cook's California

Tabasco Shrimp

Tabasco Sauce is a staple at our house where it fires up everything from cottage cheese to Parmesan rolled in tortillas. In this recipe it adds depth and interest to a sauce for quickly cooked shrimp.

Here’s another use for Tabasco, in a cocktail. Friends of ours recently served a pitcher of Tabasco seasoned cajun lemonade. It is a perfect accompaniment to the shrimp.  Find the recipe here:         http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/cajun-lemonade-cocktails-2009.

1 pound raw medium-sized shrimp (26/30), peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon butter, plus 2 tablespoons for sauce

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup orange juice

1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce of your choice

2 tablespoon tequila reposado or barrel-aged rum

salt to taste

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high and when hot, add 1 tablespoon butter and the shrimp. Season with salt and pepper and let cook undisturbed for 3 minutes or until pink. Flip over and let cook an addition 3 minutes until just cooked through. Remove to a plate.

Return the pan to the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the garlic, stirring until golden. Add the orange juice, Tabasco and tequila. Increase the heat to high and cook until reduced by 2/3, to the consistency of thin syrup. Return the shrimp and cilantro to the pan, flipping to coat well. Taste for salt. Spill onto a serving plate and serve at once with a bottle of Tabasco alongside.