Sauced!

Chipotle Shrimp with soft polenta and steamed collard greens.

Although this was my first time preparing collard greens, this entry - obviously - is about the chipotle sauce pictured above. It’s super easy and would also be good with… anything. Seriously, from eggplant to steak, I think this sauce would work with it.

The recipe (courtesy of chef Rick Bayless) calls for a 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes, drained, but I never have that, so I just use half of a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes. Combine in a blender with 2-3 chipotle chilies canned in adobo (available in your friendly supermarket International isle), along with a teaspoon or so of the canning “liquid.” I used 3 chilies and 2 tsp of liquid/sauce this time. Process in a blender until smooth. Then you sauté about 3 chopped cloves of garlic in a couple tablespoons of olive oil. When the garlic’s nice and golden, add the blended mixture and a splash of water or stock to get it to a “thin tomato sauce” consistency. Taste and season with a good amount of salt (recipe calls for around a teaspoon).

It is so amazing! Complex and smoky and spicy. Really spicy, actually, so consider yourself warned.

… Maybe I should take that back.

It is just the right amount of spicy.

It’s just the right amount of everything.

For the dish above, the shrimp were cooked right in the sauce. Throw them in and stir them around for about four minutes and they should be just about perfect.