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(Video courtesy of the fabulous chef, Juan Montalvo from The Hungry Cuban.)

When my father was visiting last month, he made Camarones Enchilados — or Shrimp Creole — a couple of times. It’s a staple dish he makes and the only problem is he sometimes doesn’t make enough. It is delicious and to my ridiculousness, I haven’t watched him make it. Ever.

So, I saw the recipe — a worn piece of paper — as he pulled it from his shirt pocket and asked him for a copy.

“OK, copy it and then let me tell you how I change it,” he said.
As he went ingredient by ingredient, he pretty much changes the whole thing.

On the day he left my house in Tennessee, he left the ingredients ready and chopped in the fridge for me. So, armed with his recipe and my kitchen whizziness, I went for it.

And of course, it tasted nothing like my dad’s. My husband, a big fan of Papi’s shrimp, gave his feedback and ate them anyway. Maybe I put in too much tomato juice because my sauce was more watery than my dad’s, which is fragrant and thick and memorable.

Below is a copy of his recipe, plus some links to other Camarones Enchilados recipes around the web. And, hey, enchilado is not enchiladas, OK?

Hungry Sofia
Best Cuban Recipes
Gourmet Betty

Papi’s Enchilados, which is similar to the recipe I have in my copy of Cuban Cookbook by Cuban food Goddess Nitza Villapol.

2 pounds shrimp
some olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 dientes of garlic
1 large green pepper
small can of V8 veggie juice instead of tomato sauce.
white cooking wine
1/2 cup of parsley
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Saute the onion, garlic and green peppers in the oil, then add the tomato juice, white wine, vinegar salt, parsley, Worcestershire and lastly add the shrimp. Don’t overcook them.

Serve with fluffy white rice.

Do you have an enchilados recipe? I want to serve this at our next dinner party.