Camarones a la Plancha

Yummy Peruvian food!
  
     I received a Camarones a la Plancha recipe request from a girl in Peru.  She said that the recipe is usually made with river shrimp.  Her description of this Peruvian recipe was different than this tapas style recipe.  She said that her version of this recipe is more like a spicy shrimp stew or soup.  From the description, her recipe sounded more like a Portuguese caldera.  I will post a Peruvian river shrimp sometime later.
     For now, a tapas style Camarones a la Plancha recipes were only what I found while researching the topic.  This recipe is different than the Chinese and Mexican spicy whole shrimp recipes that I have posted in past articles.  A hot Peruvian chile pepper sauce is used for the marinade.  The marinade is also added to the shrimp as it cooks.
     The Peruvian girl said that they usually use a hot sauce that is made from local Peruvian peppers like manzano or rocoto peppers.  Nearly any hot sauce can be used to make this recipe, but manzano peppers do have a unique flavor.  Unfortunately Manzano pepper sauce is not available in evety market.  Diced fresh Peruvian manzano pepper was added to the marinade.  Camarones a la plancha are usually served with garlic butter or an aioli dipping sauce.
   
     - 3/14/13 Las Vegas
     On a follow up note, I have been editing old recipes.  Recently I saw a few of the ingredients that were mentioned in the original recipe request.  Las Vegas Mexican markets actually have Peruvian manzano chile pepper sauce and manzano pepper paste in stock.  I may just go ahead and cook that old Peruvian River Shrimp Stew request sometime soon!
  
     Camarones a la Plancha Recipe:
     Place a about 8-10 large whole shrimp in a mixing bowl.  Leave the heads attached.
     Add 3 tablespoons of Manzano chile pepper sauce.  (A Mexican style bottled red chile pepper sauce is a good substitute.)
     Add 1/2 tablespoon of lime juice.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     Add 1/2 of a seeded Peruvian orange manzano pepper that is diced into small pieces.
     Add 3 pinches of mild red ground chile pepper or paprika.
     Add 4 cloves of minced garlic.
     Toss the ingredients together.
     Marinate the shrimp in a refrigerator for 1 hour.
     Heat a saute pan over medium heat.
     Add 3 pats of unsalted butter.
     Drain the marinade off of the shrimp set the marinade aside.
     Add the marinated shrimp to the hot pan.
     Saute the shrimp, till they start to become lightly browned.
     Add a little bit of the marinade at a time.  Allow the marinade to reduce, till it is nearly evaporated each time, before adding more.
     Note:  Hold your breath, while doing this step, because the pepper sauce fumes are potent!
     Simmer till the last bit of marinade is reduced and nearly evaporated.
     Add 3 ounces of dry white wine.
     Bring the liquid to a boil.
     Reduce the temperature to low heat.
     Simmer and reduce, till the wine is nearly evaporated and the shrimp become coated.
     Place the shrimp on a bed of leaf lettuce on a plate.
     Serve with a ramekin of garlic butter or aioli sauce.

     Aioli Recipe:

     This sauce is optional!

     Very finely mince or puree 8 cloves of garlic.

     Place the garlic puree into a mixing bowl.

     Add 1 egg yolk.

     Add 1 drop of good quality virgin olive oil at a time, while constantly whisking, till the sauce starts to bind and emulsify.

     Add a very thin stream of the virgin olive oil, while briskly whisking, till the aioli becomes a translucent while color and the texture becomes stiff, yet with a light gravity that is not airy.  The aioli should be lighter in texture than a mayonnaise and it should be able to stand tall in a spoon!

     The aioli can be kept refrigerated for 7 days.

  
     These shrimp are a bit spicy!  Manzano pepper is high in the medium hot range as far as hot peppers go.  Manzano peppers have a very nice flavor.  The shrimp are cooked quickly and they are very tender.  Dipping the spicy shrimp in the garlic butter is a nice way to tone down the spicy flavor.  This is a spicy "peel and eat" recipe that is finger licking good!  Yummy!  ...  Shawna