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Camarones a la Veracruzana

Shrimp in a Spicy Tomato and Bell Pepper Broth with Roasted Chile Stuffed with Goat Cheese

Spicy Tomato & Bell Pepper Broth
2 cups Chicken Stock
1/2 white, Spanish onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 fresh Serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Stuffed Chiles
4 fresh Anaheim chiles
8 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled (about 1 ½ cups)
2 ounces grated cotija cheese or grated Parmesan cheese (about 6 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 each of salt & freshly ground black pepper

Bell Pepper in Broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut lengthwise into thin julienne strips
1 small green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut lengthwise into thin julienne strips
1/2 white Spanish onion, finely chopped
1 cup Spicy Tomato & Bell Pepper Broth (see above)
1 cup Chicken Stock
2 to 3 tablespoons sherry-wine vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Shrimp
20 jumbo shrimp (11 to 15 per pound), shelled and deveined, with tails left on
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Spicy Tomato and Bell Pepper Broth
In a small saucepan, combine the stock, onion, tomatoes, Serrano chile, garlic, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes. Pour into a blender and puree. Reserve 1 cup for this recipe, and store the remainder; tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week to use in soups and sauces.

Stuffed Chiles
Preheat the broiler. Place the Anaheim chiles on a baking sheet and broil about 4 inches from the heat, turning the chiles over occasionally, until evenly blackened on all sides, 15 to 20 minutes. Place the chiles in a paper or plastic bag, and seal. Let stand until cool enough to handle and the skins have loosened, about 15 minutes. Peel off the skins. Cut a slit from the top of each down the side. Remove the stem, seeds, and veins, leaving the chiles whole. Set them aside.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, mash together with a fork the goat cheese, cotija, cilantro, salt and pepper. Spoon into 4 chiles, dividing equally. Place on a baking sheet and set aside.

Bell Pepper in Broth
In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the bell pepper strips and sauté until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add the chopped onion, the reserved 1 cup spicy tomato broth, and the stock. Continue to cook over medium heat until the pepper is softened and the liquid is slightly reduced, 5 to 10 minutes. Season with the vinegar, honey, salt and pepper, adjusting the vinegar and honey to taste, adding more if necessary. Stir in the chopped cilantro and keep warm.

Bake the stuffed chiles until heated through and the cheese is melted, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with foil to keep warm.
Increase the over temperature to broil. Rub the shrimp with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange on a broiler 4 to 6 inches from the heat until the shrimp are pink and curled and cooked through, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes - be careful not to overcook.

To serve:
In the center of each 4 large, shallow soup bowls, using tongs, place a quarter of the bell peppers. Spoon the broth into the bowls around the peppers. Arrange 5 shrimp in each bowl around the peppers, and top the peppers with a stuffed chile. If desired, garnish the rim of the bowls with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce and Chive Oil.