Camarones Enchilados
La Despensa y El Sofrito (The Foundation)
Don’t let the name fool you. An authentic Cuban enchilado isn't out to scorch your palate; it’s a deeply comforting, rich tomato and wine stew brought to the island by Haitian immigrants centuries ago. For first-generation kids trying to pull this off in an American suburb, the secret to hitting that exact Havana nostalgia requires zero pretense: a splash of standard supermarket ketchup for the perfect sweet-tangy balance, and the absolute discipline to add the shrimp at the very last second. Keep it simple, don't overcook the seafood, and serve it the right way—over a mountain of white rice.
Before you start
Prep your ingredients before you apply heat.
This recipe moves fast once the sofrito is built. Have your onions, peppers, and garlic diced and ready to go before you turn on the stove.
Ingredients
- large raw shrimp2 lb
- extra-virgin olive oil1/4 cup
- yellow onion1 large
- green bell pepper1/2 large
- red bell pepper1/2 large
- garlic cloves5 large
- plain tomato sauce8 oz
- ketchup1/4 cup
- dry white wine1/2 cup
- diced pimientos4 oz
- white vinegar1 tbsp
- Worcestershire sauce1 tbsp
- Tabasco or similar hot sauce1 tsp
- dried oregano1 tsp
- ground cumin1/2 tsp
- bay leaf1 med
- salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/4 tsp
- fresh parsley1/4 cup
Method
- 01
Dry and season the shrimp.
Rinse the shrimp and pat them ruthlessly dry with paper towels—wet seafood will water down the beautiful sauce you're about to build. Toss them with a light pinch of salt and pepper and set aside.
- 02
Build the foundational sofrito.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and bell peppers, sautéing for about five to seven minutes until they surrender and soften. Push them to the edges, drop the minced garlic in the center, and cook for just thirty seconds until fragrant.
- 03
Simmer the enchilado sauce.
Pour in the tomato sauce, ketchup, dry wine, the entire jar of pimientos along with their liquid, vinegar, Worcestershire, and hot sauce. Stir in the oregano, cumin, and bay leaf. Bring it to a gentle boil, immediately drop the heat to medium-low, cover, and let it simmer for fifteen minutes to let the harsh edges burn off and the magic happen.
- 04
Poach the shrimp.
Uncover the pan. The sauce should be dark, thick, and smelling unmistakably of home. Fold in the seasoned shrimp, cover the pan again, and leave the heat on low for exactly four to five minutes.
- 05
Finish and serve immediately.
The second the shrimp curl into loose C-shapes and turn bright pink, cut the heat to avoid rubbery seafood. Pluck out the bay leaf, stir in the fresh parsley, and serve immediately in shallow bowls over fluffy white rice.
Notes
Replicating authentic vino seco.
Cuban 'vino seco' is a highly salted cooking wine. If you can't find a bottle of Edmundo or Goya at your local grocer, standard dry white wine works beautifully, but be sure to add the half teaspoon of salt called for in this recipe to replicate that classic saline profile.
From Cook Cuban in America.