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+ servings
A bowl of food with shrimp and polenta.
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4.73 from 18 votes

Easy Shrimp Mofongo

Easy Creole Shrimp Mofongo Recipe - delicious cajun shrimp in a spicy sweet creole stew over mofongo! This dish takes me right back to the Caribbean!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Shrimp
Cuisine: American
Keyword: caribbean shrimp recipe, easy shrimp creole mofongo, shrimp in creole sauce, shrimp mofongo, shrimp stew
Servings: 8
Calories: 524kcal
Author: Courtney ODell

Ingredients

For the mofongo:

  • 4 green plantains
  • 1 lb of chicharrón pork rinds
  • 1 slice bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 3 garlic cloves mashed
  • 4 teaspoons of olive oil
  • 2 cups oil for frying

For the Creole Sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large clove garlic minced
  • ¼ cup onions chopped, about 1/2 medium onion
  • ¼ cup green bell pepper chopped
  • ¼ cup yellow or red bell pepper chopped
  • ½ cup celery chopped
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Creole seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon dried leaf thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried leaf oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried leaf basil
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 can 14.5 ounces each diced tomatoes with juice
  • 1 can approximately 1 2/3 cups chicken stock ?(or vegetable stock)
  • 4 green onions sliced, with most of the green
  • 1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons butter

For the Shrimp:

  • 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 2 tbsp cajun seasoning

Instructions

For the Mofongo:

  • Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven.
  • Peel the plantains, cut them into 1 1/2-inch slices, soak them in salty water for 15 minutes as oil comes to temperature.
  • Remove plantains from water, and dry them with a paper towel before putting them in the hot pot with oil. Make sure any drops of water have been completely dried off.
  • In small batches, fry plantains for about 12 minutes at medium-low heat or until they turn very light brown.
  • Make sure to turn plantains as they cook.
  • Do not brown plaintains much - you want them to stay soft and easy to mash, but the color should be a lovely dark yellow and light brown, so they are soft to the touch. Check doneness with a fork.
  • Remove plantains from oil, and place in to a large bowl or mortar.
  • Smash plantains with a pestle or the back of a spoon.
  • Add some mashed garlic and pieces of pork rinds along with crumbled bacon, smashing into the plaintains.
  • Once you have mashed all the plantains, mold them into the shape of a circle or half circle using your hands - make 8 circles.

For the Shrimp:

  • Add shrimp to a bowl or plastic bag with creole seasoning, and toss well to coat.
  • Set aside until needed later.

For the Creole Sauce:

  • Heat butter and oil over medium-low heat in a medium saucepan.
  • Add chopped garlic, onions, peppers, and celery. Sauté the vegetables for about 5 to 7 minutes, until just tender.
  • Meanwhile, combine the paprika, Creole seasoning, thyme, oregano, basil, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and ground pepper in a small cup.
  • Stir tomatoes into the vegetables then add the seasoning mixture. Sauté for 1 minute longer.
  • Add chicken or vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the sliced green onions.
  • Add shrimp to pot.
  • Continue boiling, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Most of the liquid will cook away, and shrimp will turn bright pink and opaque.
  • Stir in the tomato paste and butter until well blended into the sauce.
  • Serve immediately over mofongo in large, deep dish or bowl.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1mofongo ball and 1/2 cup creole sauce and shrimp | Calories: 524kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 84g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 66g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 187mg | Sodium: 2733mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 23g