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Fish, Americas

Shrimp enchilado with rice and plantains

Shrimp enchilado is a Cuban dish for 4 people, ready in 45 minutes, rated easy, at €4.50 per serving. Shrimp simmer briefly in a tomato sauce seasoned with white wine and cumin, served with rice and golden plantains. The key is cooking the shrimp at the very end, just two or three minutes, so they stay tender.

Tonight, a Cuban enchilado, shrimp simmered in a white wine tomato sauce, served with rice and golden plantains.

Shrimp enchilado with rice and plantains
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€4.50
Calories per person
540 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Shrimp enchilado plays on the contrast between a tomato sauce lightly tangy from white wine, seasoned with cumin and bay leaf, and the sweet caramelized plantains on the side. The shrimp, cooked just enough to stay firm and juicy, bring their briny flavor without ever turning rubbery. White rice soaks up the sauce and rounds out the plate.

It's a dish that breaks up the weekly routine without requiring any special technique, perfect for a weeknight when you want something a little different. Kids usually love the golden plantains and the mild, non spicy sauce. Mon Chou walks you through the two moments that matter most, the shrimp and the plantains.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Shrimp, peeled 600 g

Pantry

  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Dry white wine 10 cl
  • Cuminoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Bay leavesoften in the pantry 2
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Red bell peppers 2
  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Ripe plantains 2

Allergens Shellfish

The step by step recipe

  1. Sauté the onion, garlic, and diced peppers in the oil until tender. 10 min

    Finely diced vegetables melt into the sauce, which is what thickens it.

  2. Deglaze with the white wine, add the tomatoes, cumin, bay leaves, salt, and pepper, and let it simmer. 15 min

    Let the wine reduce for a minute to cook off the alcohol.

  3. Cook the rice in salted water, then drain it. 11 min

    A splash of oil in the water keeps the grains from sticking.

  4. Cut the plantains into diagonal slices and brown them in a pan with hot oil. 8 min

    They're ready when the edges caramelize to a deep brown.

  5. Add the shrimp to the sauce and let them cook, then serve with the rice and plantains. 3 min

    Remove the bay leaves before serving, nobody wants to bite into one.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick plantains that are very ripe, with skin that's almost black, they caramelize better and bring more sweetness than greener ones.
  • Dice the peppers and onion really small, they should melt into the sauce rather than stay crunchy.
  • Taste the sauce and adjust the salt before adding the shrimp, since once they're in you can't simmer much longer without toughening them.

The variations

  • Swap the shrimp for chunks of firm white fish, adding them a bit earlier since they need slightly longer to cook through.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the shrimp with sautéed hearts of palm or oyster mushrooms, added near the end of cooking.
  • To save time, use frozen pre-sliced plantains and precooked rice, you'll shave off a good ten minutes without losing any flavor.

What to serve it with

  • Lime wedges to squeeze on top
  • Sliced avocado for freshness
  • Tropical fruit juice or sparkling water

Storage

The shrimp sauce keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, though the shrimp lose texture if frozen and thawed. Reheat gently over low heat so the shrimp don't overcook. Store the rice and plantains separately and reheat them in a pan or microwave.

Questions about this dish

Can you make shrimp enchilado ahead of time?

You can make the tomato sauce ahead and keep it in the fridge for a day or two. Add the shrimp only right before serving, since they only need a very brief cook.

What can you use instead of plantains?

If you can't find plantains, firm, slightly less sweet bananas work as a backup, quickly browned in the pan. The flavor will be a touch less caramelized but the dish still holds together.

Can you freeze this dish?

The tomato sauce on its own freezes well in an airtight container for up to two months. It's best not to freeze the shrimp once cooked, since they turn firm and rubbery after thawing.

How do you know when the shrimp are perfectly cooked?

The shrimp are ready as soon as they turn pink and curl slightly, after two to three minutes in the hot sauce. Any longer and they lose their tenderness and turn rubbery.

How long does it take to make a shrimp enchilado with rice and plantains?

Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a shrimp enchilado with rice and plantains?

About 540 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a shrimp enchilado with rice and plantains cost?

About €4.50 per serving, or €18.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains shellfish. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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