Camarones Rancheros : Two Kinds of Chiles Flavor a Fiery Mexican Shrimp Dish

EVERY GOOD COOK keeps on hand a small group of infallible, fast-and-easy “emergency” recipes. These are what one relies on when--at 4:30 in the afternoon--one urges friends dropping by to stay for dinner, knowing full well that the larder is bare and that there is little time for either shopping or meal preparation.

Such a recipe is one for an attractive, very spicy shrimp dish that goes together quickly and easily. Camarones Rancheros is a colorful Mexican-style entree--light enough to suit today’s tastes and needs with only a modicum of accompaniment. Serve it with a Mexican- or Spanish-style rice--homemade if there’s time--plus a crisp tossed salad. Dessert can be anything appealing from the market’s bakery or freezer sections.

Do be aware that this particular spicy shrimp dish is just that--spicy. If your palate isn’t geared to a plethora of hot chiles, you may want to add the jalapenos to the sauce gradually, tasting until you’ve reached the exact level of heat that pleases you.

CAMARONES RANCHEROS

1 clove garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 fresh long green chiles

1/2 cup sliced onion

2 jalapeno or guero (yellow) chiles, seeded and sliced

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves

2 tablespoons butter or oil

1 tomato, cored and diced

Dash sugar

2 dozen medium shrimp, peeled, cleaned and butterflied

Oil

Mash garlic in salt. Chop 2 long green chiles coarsely and set aside. Saute garlic, onion, jalapeno or guero chiles and cilantro in butter over low heat until onion is tender. Add tomato, chopped chiles and sugar to onion mixture and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Set sauce aside. Char remaining long green chiles under broiler or over gas flame, turning frequently. Peel chiles and, leaving stems intact, split from tip to stem. Scrape out and discard seeds. Set green chiles aside.

For each serving, saute 6 shrimp in 1 to 2 tablespoons oil 3 to 4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Add sauce to taste and cook 1 minute longer. Arrange shrimp over long green chiles and serve with Mexican rice, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Note: This is a spicy dish. If you prefer less authoritative flavoring, use fewer chiles.Photograph styling by Robin Tucker; food styled by Stephen Shern; plate courtesy of Cottura, Los Angeles.