Cazuela De Camarón: Shrimp in Plantain and Peanut Sauce

By
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes is a freelance writer and recipe developer with a passion for South American food. She wrote a cookbook focusing on the cuisine of Brazil.
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Updated on 09/29/20
Plantain bunches

Chunyang, Lin (Taiwan) / Creative RF / Getty Images

Prep: 13 mins
Cook: 22 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 4 servings

This delicious Ecuadorian seafood cazuela ("stew") is traditionally first cooked on the stove and then baked in a clay pot until the stew forms a crust on top. In this quicker adaptation, the wonderful flavors of the shrimp, plantain, toasted peanuts, cilantro, and tomato come together on the stove into a rich sauce. Serve over rice for a quick and flavorful supper.

If you'd like to make fish stock, the traditional (and practical) method is to simmer the shrimp heads, peels, and tails in salted water with some chopped onion for about an hour, then strain the liquid and use it to cook the plantains.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion (chopped)
  • 1 green pepper (diced)
  • 1 small tomato (chopped)
  • 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh oregano
  • 1 package sazón Goya (with cilantro and achiote)
  • 2 green plantains
  • 1 1/2 cups fish stock (or chicken stock)
  • 1 pound shrimp (raw, peeled)
  • Salt and pepper (to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (finely minced)
  • 3 tablespoons peanut butter
  • For Serving: steamed white rice

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the chopped onion, green pepper, tomato, garlic, oregano, and seasoning until soft and fragrant, about 5 to 8 minutes.

  3. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Peel the plantains and place them in a food processor with the fish stock. Add the sautéed vegetable mixture and process until well blended and mostly smooth.

  4. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Using the same skillet, sauté them in the butter with the cilantro until just cooked, 2-3 minutes (depending on the size of the shrimp). Set the shrimp aside on a plate.

  5. Add the plantain and vegetable mixture to the skillet and stir in the peanut butter. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture is thickened.

  6. Add the cooked shrimp to the sauce and stir briefly until shrimp is heated through.

  7. Serve warm over white rice.

Tips

  • Sazon Goya is a blend of spices including coriander, annatto, garlic, and cumin. It's an easy way to add flavor and color to a savory dish and can typically be found in Latin markets and the international section of the grocery store. There are different versions of this spice blend available; look for the cilantro version for this recipe.
  • Green plantains should be used for this recipe, not ripe, yellow plantains. Green plantains lend themselves more to savory dishes, while yellow plantains are naturally sweet and are best used as side dishes or in desserts.
  • Smooth peanut butter is best for this dish, but chunky will also work. It will lend a different texture to the dish.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
435 Calories
21g Fat
31g Carbs
36g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 435
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 26%
Saturated Fat 6g 28%
Cholesterol 242mg 81%
Sodium 888mg 39%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 11%
Dietary Fiber 6g 21%
Protein 36g
Calcium 242mg 19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)