Shrimp Tacos with Sriracha Crema

The seafood used in a recipe can make or break a meal.  My husband actually thought he hated shrimp until I was finally able to get him to try some fresh shrimp while in Savannah.  Now he loves it...as long as we get it from a reputable source. This is a particular problem in a town like Athens, where the ocean is is a good 5 hours away, with no interstates leading from the coast.  Needless to say, most of our grocery stores don't sell the freshest seafood.  So we rely on our local Earth Fare, where they always have a great selection of fresh seafood.  

Speaking of Earth Fare...it's time for this month's Earth Fare recipe!  Since they have such fantastic seafood (and since it's finally warm and sunny out!), I decided to make shrimp tacos.  I'm a firm believer that everything tastes better in a tortilla.  This might be due to my years living in Mexico City, or it might be just because tortillas freaking rock.  You know what else rocks?  Sriracha Sauce.  This hot sauce used to be pretty obscure, with only one brand floating around specialty stores.  Now, there are tons of different brands of Sriracha (named for the coastal city it hails from), and you can find it everywhere.  Which is good, because I love cooking with Sriracha; it adds a unique zip to dishes.

For my shrimp tacos I whipped up a Sriracha Crema sauce, which is simple to make and really complements the zesty shrimp.   These tacos are easily made spicier for those of you that are heat junkies, or made less spicy for those of you that are feeding picky kids.  Just play around with the level of Sriracha in the crema and the chili powder in the shrimp until you get it to your liking.  Made as written, the recipe is just mildly spicy.  Did I mention this recipe can be whipped up in less than 30 minutes? Perfect for those warm Spring nights where you want to spend little time in the kitchen and more time outside.

Shrimp Tacos with Sriracha Crema

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

For the Sriracha Crema:

2 Tbsp Sour Cream

2 Tbsp Mayonnaise

1 Tbsp Milk

2 tsp Sriracha Sauce (or more)

1/4 tsp Sugar

For the Shrimp:

3/4 lb Medium Shrimp, peeled & deveined

Juice of 1 Lime

1 tsp Chili Powder

1/2 tsp Chipolte Chili Powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin Powder

1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil

Salt & Pepper, to taste

For the Assembly:

4 Tortillas of choice

1 Avocado, diced

1 Cup Shredded Cabbage

1/4 Cup Chopped Cilantro

DIRECTIONS

1.  In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the Sriracha Crema.  Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

2.  Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, coat the shrimp with the lime juice and all spices.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the coconut oil.  Once shimmering, toss in the shrimp and sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through.  Remove from heat, and salt and pepper to taste.

3. Heat the tortillas and then top with shrimp, avocado, shredded cabbage, chopped cilantro, and Sriracha Crema.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serving Size:  1/4th of Shrimp on 1 Tortilla with 1/4 of all the toppings and Sriracha Crema

Calories:  383

Fat:  19

Carbs: 31

Protein: 22