Video Bite: Shrimp Tiradito with Michelle Bernstein

For this Video Bite, Michelle Bernstein gracefully carved out time in between three weeks in Spain and a book tour. This is one busy lady. Bernstein won the James Beard Award for best chef in the South this year. She hosts the PBS show, Check, Please! In addition to Michy’s, Bernstein is chef-owner of Michelle’s at Carysfort in Key Largo and MB in Cancun. Her next project is a Spanish tapas restaurant in the old Domo Japones space.

Here, Michelle Bernstein presents the shrimp tiradito recipe from her new cookbook, Cuisine a Latina: Fresh Tastes and a World of Flavors from Michy’s Miami Kitchen, co-written with Andrew Friedman. Bursting with vivid pictures, the book’s recipes span Bernstein’s globetrotting life, from her mother’s Argentinean and Jewish cooking, to Bernstein’s French training, to her Latin and Caribbean influences here in Miami.  Special thanks to Brad Bryan for camera, lighting, and editing.

Shrimp Tiradito with Avocado and Corn Nuts

(Reprinted courtesy of Houghton Mifflin.)

In Peru, a tiradito is usually raw, but in this recipe, Bernstein quickly boils the shrimp. Believe it or not, the dish is often garnished with corn nuts! The skewers are optional, but Bernstein recommends them for keeping the shrimp straight while they poach.

INGREDIENTS

12 large shrimp (16-20 count), peeled and deveined

1 heaping teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

½ cup diced celery

¼ cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons aji amarillo paste

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (leaves and stems)

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

½ avocado, peeled and thinly sliced

¼ cup thinly sliced red onion

½ cup corn nuts

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

12 6-inch wooden or metal skewers

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Line a large plate with paper towels. Thread each shrimp lengthwise onto a skewer to keep it straight.

Stir the Old Bay seasoning into the boiling water. Add the shrimp and boil until they just turn pink, about 1 minute. Use tongs to transfer the shrimp to the paper towels to drain. (The shrimp can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. Let come to room temperature before proceeding.)

Put the celery, mayonnaise, lime juice, aji amarillo paste, ginger, cilantro, and salt in a small bowl and whisk together until smooth. Refrigerate until cold, about 20 minutes.

To serve, remove the skewers and arrange 3 shrimp on each of four small plates. Spoon the sauce over them, and garnish with the avocado slices, red onion, corn nuts, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Bernstein’s famous blue cheese and jamon serrano croquetas are a welcome sight on the first page of Cuisine a Latina, especially for lovers of Michy’s and the menu at the former Social Miami. Other mouthwatering recipes include lobster, avocado, and grapefruit cocktail; beet salad with blue cheese chantilly, candied walnuts and oranges; and mojo-marinated Cornish hens with chorizo stuffing. The jerk recipe which I used for the Miami Dish Farm-to-Table dinner this summer also appears in the book. Interestingly, Cuisine a Latina has The Shortest Dessert Chapter Ever.

Bernstein will speak about Cuisine a Latina at the MiamiBook Fair International this weekend. She will be joined by Ingrid Hoffmann (Simply Delicioso) and Andrew Carmellini (Urban Italian). The MIBF is always a great opportunity to meet and ask questions of your favorite food writers and chefs.

Where: Miami Dade College, Wolfson Campus, 300 N.E. Second Avenue, Room 7174/75

When: Sunday, November 16 at 12:30 pm

How much: $5 admission to Miami Book Fair International