Ingredients

The following ingredients have 6 Servings
  • 5 Guajillo Peppers (cleaned and deveined.)
  • 2 Arbol peppers* (stems removed)
  • 1 plum tomato
  • 2 oz. Dried shrimp
  • 6 saltine crackers
  • 3 Eggs (separated into whites and yokes)
  • ¼ cup of oil (plus 1 tablespoon to cook the salsa)
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 2 ½ cups chopped nopales (cooked and rinsed.)
  • 1 small branch of cilantro
  • Salt and pepper to season

Instruction

  • Place guajillo peppers, arbol peppers and plum tomato in a medium saucepan and cover
  • with water. Place over medium heat and cook until they are fully cooked and soft. About 15 minutes.
  • While the peppers and tomatoes are cooking, lightly toast the dried shrimp on a griddle over medium heat, turning once. This step will take about 2-3 minutes. Let them cool for a couple of minutes and then remove the shrimps’ heads and legs.
  • Place the dried shrimp and saltine crackers into your blender pitcher and process until they form a fluffy powder. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, beat the egg whites into a foamy mixture, using an electric mixer until they form stiff peaks. Then, stir in the egg yolks one by one, beating until you have a fluffy batter. Now, gently stir in the mix of dried shrimp powder and saltines. Season with a little pinch of salt (remember that the shrimp is already salty) and pepper.
  • To cook the patties, heat ¼ cup of vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. To form the patties, I use a tablespoon and scoop each spoonful of batter into the hot oil. Once the batter is cooking, I shape them using a wooden spatula. But, if you don’t care about the shape, and just spoon the batter in, they will have an oval shape, like my patties. Cook for about 2 minutes per side until they have a golden color. Use a spoon or spatula to spoon some of the oil on the patties’ sides, in order to have an even cooking. Once the patties are cooked, place on a cooling rack with a paper napkin underneath.
  • To make the salsa: Place guajillo and arbol peppers, along with the tomato, garlic, oregano and cumin into your blender, and process until you have a very smooth sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet, and pour the sauce in using a sieve. Cook for 5 minutes.
  • Add the cooked nopales, and stir. Finally, add the dried shrimp patties and the cilantro branch, taste to adjust seasonings, and enjoy.