When the Kitchen Calls, I Answer

When the kitchen calls, I answer.

My time in the kitchen is never wasted. In fact, I find cooking relaxing. There’s something about figuring out what to make, pulling ingredients together and turning them into dinner that I genuinely enjoy.

I got in quite a bit of cooking over the last week, predominantly fish-based meals. When you have fresh-frozen fish from Washington in the freezer, why not let those flavors carry your dinners for a while?

Last night, though, I went back to the Kirkland Signature Red Argentine Raw Shrimp from Costco. These are the same shrimp I used for Brian Lagerstrom’s Shrimp Roll.

This time, they were headed for tacos.

Shrimp, Corn and Bacon Tacos

Last week, we received our Talley Farms Box, which included fresh corn, tomatoes and avocados. Two ears of that corn became the starting point for dinner.

I shucked the corn and cut the kernels straight off the cob. I also defrosted a half-pound of the Argentine shrimp and fried up a few strips of bacon.

Dinner was coming together: shrimp, corn and bacon street-style tacos.

The corn went into the skillet with the bacon fat and was charred until it picked up some nice color and, more importantly, plenty of that bacon flavor. Once it was ready, I set it aside.

Next came the scallions and cilantro, both chopped up and ready to go, along with a squeeze of lime.

Sometimes You Have to Use What You Have

Before cooking the shrimp, I got a little lazy with the beans.

I wanted to make Johnathan Zaragoza’s Mama Z’s Beans, which comes from his Best Chilaquiles You’ll Ever Havevideo. His recipe starts with her frijoles de la olla and incorporates some of the chilaquiles sauce.

I didn’t have either.

So I used a can of organic refried beans and pureed tomatoes.

That’s one of the things I enjoy about cooking. Sometimes it’s not about having every ingredient called for in a recipe. It’s about using what you have and making it work.

Now, I have to admit, refried beans cooked in lard?

As Johnathan would say, “That’s the move!”

The flavor of the lard combined with the beans, tortillas, egg, jalapeño and onion is amazing. This is still the BEST refried bean recipe I’ve used. When you take the time to start with pinto beans and make the chilaquiles sauce, you’re getting next-level flavor and texture.

But even the shortcut version?

It’s damn good.

The beans became the side for the tacos, topped with cotija cheese and cilantro.

A Quick Skillet Shrimp Dinner

The cast iron skillet was already hot, and I added just a little oil since most of it had already been used for the corn.

Once the shrimp started to pick up a little color, I added the charred corn and bacon.

Toss, toss, toss.

Then came the garlic powder, cumin and chili powder, followed by the scallions and cilantro. I let everything warm together while I threw together a quick lime crema with sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice and a little milk to thin it out.

That’s it.

Dinner was ready.

Another 20-30 minute dinner with simple ingredients that delivered big flavor.

Big Flavor From Simple Ingredients

The fresh corn gave the shrimp tacos a nice sweetness, while the shrimp provided a tender, delicate texture. The bacon added a little smoky richness without overpowering everything else.

I served the tacos on a bed of cabbage with avocado, then topped them with the lime crema and plenty of cilantro.

Nothing complicated. Nothing that required a trip to the grocery store.

Just shrimp, fresh corn, bacon, beans, tortillas and a few ingredients already sitting in the kitchen.

That’s my kind of cooking.

When the kitchen calls, I answer. And sometimes, 20 minutes later, dinner is pretty damn good.