Firecracker Shrimp and Humita Recipe

The fourth of July falls on a weekend, which works out nicely for a lot of picnics and grilling. I am not going to either but will be at a baseball game instead. But I’ll be with you in spirit, and I can have more of a presence at your event if you make this simple and easy shrimp dish below.

This is a great time to get sweet corn, and that reminded me of this slightly spicy corn dish I learned to make in Buenos Aires. It’s called humita, and it’s traditionally used as a filling for sweet empanadas. But they taste so good and is so simple to make that I think it makes a great side dish, and in this case a base for my Spanish-style shrimp.

The shrimp is really simple too, basically just seasoned with the Spanish pimentón spice, which you can find easily these days at any gourmet store. It gives it lots of color and a spicy flavor. Throw in some garlic and it’s good to go.

I finish this dish off with some microgreens just to add more color to the dish as if the fiery shrimp wasn’t enough. I got these beet tops at Whole Foods that are so colorful for the holiday, but you can substitute with any kind of microgreens or sprouts.

Have a great Fourth of July! Enjoy!

Pimenton Garlic Shrimp with Humita Recipe

Copyright 2009 by Cooking With The Single Guy

Ingredients for humita
1 onion, finely diced
1 green bell pepper, small diced
2-3 ears of corn
1 T butter
1 T extra virgin olive oil
½ cup milk
1 t crushed red pepper
2 t sugar
black pepper
salt
1 T flour

Remove corn from the cob. In a saucepan, warm butter and oil over medium high heat and then add onion and bell pepper. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then add all the remaining ingredients except the flour. Cook the corn for about 10 minutes to soften. Then slowly sprinkle in the flour to thicken the humita.

Ingredients for shrimp
A dozen jumbo shrimp or gulf shrimp, shelled and deveined (but keep tail on for looks) (about half a pound)
1 T pimentón (Spanish sweet smoked paprika)
1 clove garlic, minced
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Season your shrimp with salt and the drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with pimentón to lightly coat. Then warm up a skillet over medium heat and add shrimp and garlic to cook (add more olive oil if needed). Shrimp is done when they’re opaque (about 6 to 10 minutes).

Ingredients for salad
1 cup beet tops or other microgreens like sprouts
Juice from one lemon
Pinch of salt and pepper
¼ cup olive oil
1 T sugar

Combine lemon, sugar, olive oil and salt and whisk together until well blended. Then drizzle a little at a time in your beet tops to lightly dress.

Now assemble your plate, starting with a base of the humita. Then add shrimp and top off with your salad.

Makes two servings.

Pair with a glass of Torrontes.

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