Shrimp and Mango

I came across this shrimp and mango recipe on Serious Eats the other day.

I loved how simple and fresh it looked so after taking a mental note, I threw together my version.

I used 1.5 pounds of shrimp for three of us. A good rule to follow is about 1/2 a pound of shrimp per person.

Rinse, peel, and clean the shrimp. Don’t be afraid of this part. It really is very simple.

I know you can buy frozen already peeled/cleaned shrimp in the grocery store but if you have access to fresh shrimp from a local seafood vendor, please do that instead.

Trust me. The end result of every meal you make will always depend on the quality and freshness of your ingredients.

Look! One of these guys still has his head attached! So cute!

Some fishmongers will even peel and clean them for you. That’s quite okay, too.

Slice down the back and clean the poopy part. This step is very important unless it doesn’t bother you. In that case… leave it there.

I’m not here to judge you. Promise.

Put the clean shrimp in the refrigerator until you are ready for them.

Mango Concoction Ingredients – mango, limes, shallot, cilantro, jalapeno & brown sugar:

Slice the mango anyway you want. As you can see, my slices are all shapes and sizes. Sometimes my OCD makes me get out the ruler.

Kidding.

Sort of.

Do you have a microplane? I got one for my birthday. Fantastic Gift!

Zest the lime, just the green part. You won’t need much.

Then cut the lime in half and squeeze:

I used the juice of 2 limes because mine weren’t very juicy.

Whisk together equal amounts of lime juice and brown sugar until the sugar dissolves. I think I used about 2 TBS of each.

Toss in the lime zest and thinly sliced shallot:

Throw in some finely minced jalapeno:

Use as much or as little as you want. For less heat, use less seeds.

Now, this part is VERY important after handling peppers.

Go. Wash. Your. Hands.

Go ahead, I’ll wait.

Gently toss everything together:

Woops! Don’t forget the chopped cilantro!

Whew! Close call.

Gently toss again and let the flavors marry while you prepare the shrimp.

I used kosher salt, fresh ground peppercorn and cumin:

Put a small amount of oil (I used canola) in your medium-hot pan & sear the shrimp on the first side:

Flip!

This is a quick process, about 2-3 minutes on each side.

Shrimp have a built in I’m Done thermometer:

When they turn pink and curl, they are done. Avoid overcooking them, less done is WAY BETTER than overdone.

Spoon the Mango Concoction on the plate and arrange the shrimp around, on top, on the side, or on a different plate:

It’s all up to you.

After all, it’s your creation so have fun with it.

That’s the important part. Enjoy!