I went through several versions of Mexican scrambled eggs with dried shrimp, a common dish in Oaxaca’s Isthmus region, to find my favorite. In the Isthmus, it is made with camarones oreados, or partially dried shrimp, described in Diana Kennedy’s Oaxaca al Gusto, where the recipe uses epazote and chiles. This take on dried shrimp and scrambled eggs uses onions and cilantro, but it’s one of those recipes with lots of room to play.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons large dried shrimp
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 4 eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk or half and half
- Salt and pepper to taste
Rinse dried shrimp thoroughly and place in a bowl with hot water to cover. Soak for 15 minutes, drain and rinse again. Remove heads and tails and chop shrimp.
Melt the butter in a skillet and add onion and chopped shrimp. Sauté until the onion is starting to soften.
Beat together the cilantro, eggs, milk, salt and pepper and add to the pan with the onion and shrimp. Scramble eggs gently by pushing them to the center of the pan as the sides begin to set.
When set to desired doneness, serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.
For sauces, soups and snacks: Using Mexican dried shrimp
