Shrimp in Poblano and Cilantro Sauce

Adapted from a Milk Street recipe, this delicious, quick dish has a little kick, but it’s not overwhelming. It serve 3-4 adults.

Ingredients

 2 Tbsp grapeseed or other neutral oil

 2 medium poblanos, stemmed, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces

 2 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

 1/2 medium white onion, thinly sliced, plus more to serve

 Kosher salt and ground black pepper

 1 1/2 lbs extra-large (21/25 per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined

 1 Tbsp lime juice, plus lime wedges to serve

 1-½ - 3 cups lightly packed fresh cilantro (leaves and tender stems), plus more to serve

 1/3 cup Mexican crema or sour cream or plain yogurt

Method:

 In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until barely smoking.

 Add the chilies and cook, stirring occasionally, until charred in spots, 2 to 4 minutes.

 Reduce to medium and add the garlic, onion, ¼ cup water and ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

 Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss the shrimp with the lime juice, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper; set aside. Be careful not to add the lime juice too early as it will ‘cook’ the shrimp.

 Transfer the vegetable mixture to a blender; reserve the skillet.

 To the blender, add the cilantro, crema and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Blend on high until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the puree into the skillet and bring to a simmer over medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.

 Add the shrimp and lime juice to the skillet. Cook, stirring often, until opaque throughout, about 3 minutes.

 Off heat, taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with additional cilantro and sliced onion; serve with lime wedges.

Notes and Options:

The poblanos may be charred on the grill. I had them charred on the grill ahead of time, removed the skins and seeds and reserved them in the refrigerator. This was a time saver for preparing a quick meal.

The shrimp could easily be swapped for chicken or another fish such as salmon or cod. Simmering time will need to be adjusted.

If the sauce is too thick, thin with a bit of water.

I made a double batch of the sauce and added more shrimp, serving it along with gnocchi for a larger group. I used half the amount of cilantro as it was all I had on hand. It was still delicious. Next time, I’ll gradually add more cilantro, checking as it’s added so it doesn’t overwhelm the flavor of the poblanos.