Shrimp With Chipotle Sauce

This is one of my favourite appetizers, adapted from The Surreal Gourmet. You can adjust the 'heat' by changing the amount of chipotle pepper and adobo sauce. I usually serve this as an appetizer over a mesclun mix of leaf lettuces, herbs, and tender greens.

• Ready In: 18 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Dry rub for shrimp

• 3⁄4 lb shrimp, 12/15 count shrimp, tails on
• 1 -2  tablespoon dried oregano
• 1  teaspoon dried thyme
• 1  teaspoon lemon pepper or 1  teaspoon  dried lemon peel
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 3  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  whole chipotle chile in adobo, chopped finely
• 2  teaspoons adobo sauce

• Cilantro Dipping Sauce

• 1  cup  lightly packed cilantro, leaves only, stems discarded before measuring
• 3  tablespoons  freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1⁄2 cup sour cream

Directions

1. Chipotle Dry rub:
2. Shell, clean, and devein shrimp. Leave the tails on.
3. Pat dry with a paper towel.
4. In a medium-size bowl, mix oregano, thyme, lemon pepper, salt, and black pepper.
5. Toss shrimp thoroughly with mixed spices. Keep refrigerated until ready for cooking.
6. Heat oil and chipotle pepper and sauce in a well-seasoned iron skillet or non-stick pan over high heat.
7. Place about ten shrimp in pan so that each one has enough room to lie on its side.
8. Cook for approximately 1-1/2 minutes per side, or until shrimp is no longer translucent. Do not overcook.
9. Serve hot, or at room temperature, with cilantro dipping sauce.
10. To prepare Cilantro Dipping Sauce:
11. Blend cilantro and lime juice in a food processor or blender until cilantro is liquefied. Pour into a small bowl and use a fork to blend in sour cream until fully blended into a pale green sauce.
12. Refrigerate until ready for use.