Sweet & Spicy Shrimp Tacos

My love for Latin food has manifested into more of an obsession. Growing up, my favorite dish involved anything that was spicy which is probably why I fell in love with the rich and fiery flavors from south of the border. If I could, I would eat tamales, mole, enchiladas, carnitas, guacamole, ceviche and tacos al pastor everyday. Then in high school, my first job was at a local and family-owned Mexican joint. Translation: all my favorite combinations todos los dias. In college, I also spent sometime studying in Cuernavaca, Mexico where street tacos, Alambres (Mexican carne cooked on skewers) and savory salsas were a daily treat.  On the walk from la Universidad to mi casa de mi familia Mexicana, my roommate Maria and I would always find a way to make a foodie detour. Nowadays, I love to make tacos and have almost perfected my OG shrimp version. I had some pineapple this time around and thought I'd get creative using this recipe from FoodFit as a backbone. Here's how you can enjoy the sweet & spicy   shrimp tacos I made this time around:

What you'll need:

Pineapple Salsa

1 cup diced pineapple (canned and be sure to  keep the jugo, you'll be using it later)

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 sliced jalapeno

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground cayenne pepper

1/2 cup lime juice

1 lime (cut into wedges)

1/4 cup diced red onion

pinch of salt
Tacos:

1 lb shrimp (frozen or raw is okay, too)

1/3 cup butter

8 corn tortillas

1 cup grated queso fresco 

1 avocado (sliced) 

1/2 red cabbage (sliced)

sour cream

Preparing the Salsa: 

To begin, in a bowl combine the drained pineapple, diced red pepper, cilantro, jalapeno, red onion, ground cumin, cayenne pepper and 1/4 cup lime juice. Mix together and add a pinch of salt. Add in a splash of pineapple juice, and chill. (This salsa also tastes great by itself with chips!) 

Preparing the Shrimp:

Depending on whether you are using raw or frozen, preparation will be slightly different, but I used a cast iron skillet over a gas stove for this. In the pan, add butter, 1/4 cup lime juice, another splash of pineapple juice and shrimp. Shrimp cooks quickly, so be aware that it may only take a few minutes. Let simmer in juices for a while after you remove from heat.

Taco assembly:

For these tacos, I chopped up some red cabbage, extra jalapenos and queso fresco to add on top. Heat up the corn tortillas separately. Start with shrimp, add cabbage, a spoon full of pineapple salsa, avocado slice, queso fresco, sour cream and wedge of lime for squeezing on the top!

Enjoy! xx