SHRIMP PATTIES WITH CACTUS (NOPALES) AND CAMBRAY BABY POTATOES
Notes
You can omit the use of the arbol peppers if you want only want the dish to be mildly spicy, or you can add more if you want the dish spicier.
Do not use “dried shrimp powder.” It is very salty and lacks flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces dried shrimp
- 6 guajillo peppers, cleaned and deveined.
- 2 arbol peppers, stems removed
- 2 roma tomatoes
- 1/4 small onion
- Olive oil
- 1 corn tostada
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup of avocado oil (or your choice of oil) plus 1 tablespoon to cook the salsa
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 2 basil leaves
- 6 cambray baby potatoes, cooked in water and cut in half
- 16 ounces strip cactus (nopales) cooked and rinsed
- (You can find the cactus in a jar in the Mexican section of your grocery store. I prefer to cook my own cactus. You can usually find bags of raw cactus in your grocery store. Boil them in water with a pinch of salt until the cactus is cooked.)
- Salt to taste.
Instructions
- In a saucepan, fry the guajillo peppers, arbol peppers, garlic, onion and roma tomatoes in olive oil until the ingredients are slightly roasted. Add 2 cups of water and cook over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes or until the peppers are soft. Set aside.
- In another saucepan, use oil to grill the dried shrimp over medium heat, turning once. Let them cool for a couple of minutes, then remove the shrimps’ heads and legs.
- Place the dried shrimp and the tostadas into your blender and process until they form a fluffy powder. Add the eggs and mix. Put the mix in a bowl.
- To cook the patties, heat ¼ cup of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. To form the patties you can use a tablespoon and scoop each spoonful of batter into the hot oil. Once the batter is cooking, shape them using a wooden spatula. Cook for about 2 minutes per side until they have a golden color. Use a spoon or spatula to spoon some of the oil over the patties so they cook evenly. Once the patties are cooked, place them on a cooling rack with a paper towel underneath.
- To make the salsa: place the guajillo and arbol peppers, tomatoes, garlic, onion and oregano into your blender and process until you have a smooth sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet, and add the sauce using a sieve. Add the basil leaves and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the cooked nopales, then the potatoes and stir. Finally, add the dried shrimp patties. Add salt and pepper to taste.
