Chipotles are smoked jalapeños, and they’re available dried (soak them in warm water until soft before use) or in cans. When canned, they’re called chiles in adobo; adobo is a red sauce from Veracruz that’s perfect for this dish. Serve this spicy dish with plain white rice and lots of it.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1 1/2 to 2 pounds medium to large shrimp (20 to 30 per pound), peeled

　　1/4 cup fresh lime juice

　　Salt and black pepper

　　4 garlic cloves, peeled

　　1/2 pound tomatoes (about 2 small), cored and quartered

　　1 small can chiles in adobo, or less to taste (even 1 chipotle will make this dish quite hot)

　　2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

　　1 small onion, chopped

　　1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

　　

Step 1

Toss the shrimp with the lime juice, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

　　

Step 2

Place the garlic, tomatoes, and chipotles in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth.

　　

Step 3

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chipotle sauce and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and dark, about 5 minutes or so. Add the shrimp with its marinade and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes. Add the oregano, salt, and pepper, taste and adjust the seasoning, then garnish and serve.

　　

Chipotle Scallops

Step 4

Substitute fresh scallops, sea or bay, for the shrimp.

　　

Chipotle Crabs

Step 5

Omit the lime juice marinade. Substitute 3 pounds live blue or rock crabs for the shrimp. Wash well and chop in half lengthwise. Before cooking the onion, cook the crabs in the skillet for 3 minutes on each side. Remove, then proceed as directed, reheating the crabs with the sauce for about 2 minutes.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.