So it’s been quite a while since I have last posted – last Friday! I’ve been insanely busy since then with everything from going out of town to celebrate my birthday, getting into a really exciting recipe round up on Huffington Post, buying a car (my first on my own!), having my mom in town & then leaving Tuesday morning, and a menu tasting at the Luxury Suites at Bank of America Stadium – so good. But, I did manage to cook a little this past weekend, and these shrimp tacos with avocado corn salsa and herb crema (um, sorry for that lengthy title, I usually try not to be THAT person) made everything a little less crazy around here.

For my birthday, my mom got me a set of cazuelas* and even before she got them for me, I’ve been dying to get my hands on a set to cook with. They are the perfect vessels for creating sizzling meats, sauteing some mushrooms and onions, or baking in them. In fact, I placed these directly on my stove (I have gas burners, make sure that you’re able to place your cazuelas* on your type of burner) and heated up some butter and oil until hot and placed the shrimp in and sizzled them away. They came out perfectly cooked, tender and flavorful. My mom cooked with them as well and had the same success.

These tacos seem like they have a lot going on, but everything really complemented each other well. The grilled corn avocado salsa was a hit, and you’ll have plenty left over to scoop up with some chips. The herb crema is light and refreshing, and those bubbly, hot shrimp? Perfection. They are simple to make so you can make a lot for a big party or you can make as few as you’d like if you’re just eating for one or two.

Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Corn Salsa and Herb Crema

For the shrimp:

1 pat butter
1 Tbsp oil
About 16 shrimp (I used about 4-5 shrimp for each taco, enough for 2 people)
1-2 tsps chile powder
1 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the avocado corn salsa:

1/2 avocado, diced
2 ears of corn, grilled and cut off the ear
1 tomato, diced
1/2 juice of a lime
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the herb crema:

1/2 cup creme fraiche
1 Tbsp cilantro, finely minced
1 tsp parsley, finely minced
1 tsp- 1 Tbsp of milk
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the tacos:

Corn tortillas
Cabbage, thinly sliced

Begin by preheating a skillet (or a cazuela* with the butter and olive oil. In a bowl, place the shrimp, chile powder, paprika, and salt and pepper and combine so that all shrimp are coated with the mixture. Place the shrimp in the hot pan and cook until the shrimp are pink and slightly coiled. Set aside.

To make the avocado salsa, combine the avocado, corn, tomato, and lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Set in the fridge until ready to use to let the flavors develop. Make the herb crema by combining the creme fraiche, cilantro, parsley, and milk, adding more milk if needed to get it to a thin consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set in the fridge until ready to use.

To assemble the tacos, take 1-2 corn tortillas and place a layer of cabbage. Top with the shrimp, avocado corn salsa, and a drizzle of herb crema and serve immediately.

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