A paloma is a delicious cocktail made with tequila and grapefruit juice, topped with grapefruit soda or sparkling water. I love a paloma almost more than a margarita. And this fantastic combination of tart-sweet citrus and punchy tequila is a perfect paring for fresh shrimp. I think this dish is a great way to hold on to the fading end of summer at home, pretending you are at a sunny beach locale. And preparing this delicious dish is quick and easy so you can have summer on the table in a snap.
Serve these as an appetizer with toothpicks, or use the shrimp in tacos with all the trimmings. You can also serve the shrimp over rice, even pasta with the delicious citrusy sauce drizzled over the top. I generally use blanco tequila (not the expensive bottle) but reposado is lovely too. I add rosemary to simple syrup in my palomas, so I added it here as well, but you can skip it. Mild shallot adds a nice base note without overpowering the citrus. The size of shrimp you use is up to you – I like big tail on for a nice appetizer bite, but smaller ones may work better in tacos or over rice. Watch carefully and adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Ingredients
¾ cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice, plus some wedges of lime for serving
¼ cup tequila
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp, thawed if frozen
1 Tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper
Directions
- Put the grapefruit juice, lime juice, tequila, shallot, rosemary and olive oil in a bowl and whisk to combine. Leave to sit for about 10 minutes to soften the shallot. Pour it all into a skillet large enough to fit the shrimp and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook until reduced by half, about 8 – 10 minutes. Drop the shrimp into the liquid and stir to coat. Cook until the shrimp are just pink through and curled. Stir in the butter until melted, then season well with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with lime wedges to squeeze over the top.
- These shrimp are great on their own as an appetizer, or in tacos. You can also serve them over rice or pasta.
What unique taco’s the made. Made for our college football crowd last night. Should have doubled the recipe. They vanished even before kickoff.