Cuban Shrimp Creole (Enchilado de Camarones in English)

Hello, and welcome to another recipe here at the Cuban Redneck Kitchen, where today we will be talking about Cuban Shrimp Creole (Camarones Enchilados). While the Spanish and Portuguese roots can easily be identified in the taste profile, this is a very Cuban recipe. And perhaps, not one you find in a modest Cuban household but for sure at some of the top Cuban restaurants in the South Florida area.

As I have mentioned on several occasions, my cooking tends to be different from many home cooks, and that is because I learned to cook as a teenager working in the Miami restaurant scene. This recipe for enchilado de camarones in English is no different. This is actually an adaptation of a shrimp creole recipe of a Haitian chef I used to work for in the late 80s. We would make the sauce ahead of time at his restaurant since we use it as the base for many dishes. And although this dish only takes 15 – 20 minutes to cook, if you do make the sauce or sofrito ahead of time, the difference in taste is quite noticeable. So, if your first try ends up being a little thin in the taste department, consider slow cooking the sauce for a bit the next time around.

• 1 Lb. of raw peel and deveined large shrimp
• ¾ of Onion (diced)
• ¾ of bell pepper (tri-color is ideal but not necessary)
• 2 Tsp. of Sun-Dried tomato paste or pesto (optional)
• 4-5 Cloves of Garlic
• ½ Tsp. of Salt, Black Pepper, Cumin, Smoked Paprika, Pimento Powder
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1-Cup of tomato sauce (pasta sauce will do!)
• 1-Cup of chopped or crushed tomatoes (OK to use a canned variety)
• 2-Cups of beer (the cheaper, the better)
• 1 Tsp. of white sugar
• 1 Tsp. of Soy sauce
• 3-4 Sprigs of Parsley
• 2-3 Leaves of Culantro
• A touch of heat to taste in the form of Hot Sauce, Chili Powder, or even Scotch Bonnet Peppers
• Also optional are olives, very traditional in traditional Cuban Camarones Enchilados!

As mentioned in the video, this Cuban Shrimp Creole (Camarones Enchilados) recipe, from start to finish, only takes 15 – 20 minutes, so you must have everything ready to go since there is only a 2 -3 minute interval between stages. We’ll start by adding a little be of oil to a deep saucepan and bringing it up to temp over medium heat. Once up to temperature, add the onions and bell peppers. Cook while stirring it for 2-3 minutes. As the onions start to get translucent, add the Sun-Dried pesto. Once dissolved, add the garlic and cook for another minute while stirring it.

The objective of the next series of steps is to maintain the sauce at a soft boil and not allow the temp to drop too much by adding the ingredients in intervals. We’ll start with the crushed tomatoes, cook for 2-minutes, add the tomato sauce, cook for 2-minutes, and then add the beer. Continue to cook under medium heat while we prepare the shrimp.

In a large skillet, bring some oil to temp over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of butter, and once melted, add the shrimp. Cook the shrimp for about 2-minuets per side and then deglaze the pan with a little bit of wine, beer, or even rum. This was expected on an electric stove but if you are using a gas stove, be careful! I used rum in a failed flambé attempt. Always pour the liquor into a cup and then to the pan. Never pour directly from the bottle!

After deglazing the skillet, add the shrimp to the sauce, stir it, make sure they are fully covered, take the heat, and sit for 4-5 minutes before serving. As you can see, this is an effortless, yet flavorful shrimp creole dish you guess will be impressed. Let me know what you think about the video in the comment section about this take of the famous Cuban enchilado de Camarones. And I look forward to having you as a subscriber at the Cuban Redneck DIY Channel where we do cooking and grilling on Tuesdays, and all sort of DIY stuff on Friday! Also, please know that the channel has dedicated that there is dedicated playlists for every topic we convert. And no, no misleading thumbnails, or titles, at the Cuban Redneck DIY channel, those are practices associated with the unethical left!