Epcot International Food and Wine Festival 2013 Part 5 and Shrimp Tacos (Tacos de Camarones)

I am finishing up my recap of the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival 2013 with a review of the Mexico and Australia booths and a recipe for Shrimp Tacos (Tacos de Camarones). Here are my previous posts on Epcot: Japan and Cheese booths in Part 1, Scotland, Italy, and Poland in Part 2, China and Greece in Part 3, and Desserts and Champagne and Africa in Part 4. There were so many more booths I wanted to try, but unfortunately our stomachs held us back. Maybe someday I will get to visit again. After the New Year, I will post about Downtown Disney, Magic Kingdom, and Legoland Florida.

I forgot to take a photo of the actual booth, but this year Mexico offered Taco de Rib-Eye with Salsa de Chipotle, Shrimp Taco with Purple Cabbage, Rice Pudding, Dos Equis Beer, Sangria, Tequila Flight, and Mango-Habanero Margarita.

We got the Shrimp Taco with Purple Cabbage and Tequila Flight. The Tequila Flight included Tequila Blanco, Reposado, and Anejo. Chad wanted the flight to take the nerves off after finishing his final presentation for his Master’s Degree a couple of hours earlier. I tried a sip, but am not a fan of straight liquor. Chad enjoyed it and was a lot more relaxed, especially since he had a beer a couple of stops later at the Scottish booth.

The Shrimp Taco with Purple Cabbage was Chad’s favorite dish at the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival this year. It was also one of the top picks for me. The shrimp were battered and fried, then piled on top of a flour tortilla with purple cabbage, salsa verde, chipotle mayo, and a lime. It was a decent portion size with enough for the three of us to share (though Evan only had a couple of bites). My only complaint is that it can be quite a bit messy to eat, especially if you can’t find a table.

This year, the Australia booth offered Garlic Shrimp with Roasted Tomatoes, Lemon Myrtle, and Rapini; Grilled Lamb Chop with Mint Pesto and Potato Crunchies; Pavlova (Crispy Meringue Shell with Fresh Driscoll’s Berries and Vanilla Custard); Wolf Blass Gold Label Chardonnay; Rosemount Estate Pinot Grigio; Rosemount Estate Merlot; and Penfolds Bin 8 Cabernet Shiraz.

I was still a bit full from the Mexico booth, but wanted to sample the Pavlova since I have never tried one before. It was delicious. I liked the contrast of the crispy meringue shell with the creamy vanilla custard. I plan on trying this one at home next summer when berries are in season again.
Since the Shrimp Taco was Chad’s favorite at the festival, I knew I had to attempt to make it at home. I used my flour tortilla recipe as the base. I tossed the shrimp in a seasoned batter and fried them until golden. I placed them on the tortilla with a handful of red cabbage, then drizzled them with chipotle mayonnaise and salsa verde. You can use either canned salsa verde or the salsa verde recipe listed in my Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas recipe. Tomatillos weren’t available when I went grocery shopping, so I used canned this time. Don’t forget the lime slices! Chad tried the tacos with and without lime. He said the lime helped bring all the flavors together and gave it a little something extra.

Shrimp Tacos (Tacos de Camarones)

Chipotle Mayonnaise adapted from Serious Eats. Shrimp Tacos adapted from Disney Blog

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Shrimp Tacos (Tacos de Camarones) with Purple Cabbage and Chipotle Mayonnaise

Course Main

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword chipotle, Mexican, Mexico, seafood, shrimp, taco

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time 32 minutes minutes

Servings 10 Tacos

Ingredients

Chipotle Mayonnaise:

• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 chipotle chiles from can of chipotles in adobo
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Fried Shrimp:

• Vegetable oil for frying
• 1 egg white
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 pound large shrimp peeled, deveined, and tails removed

For Assembling:

• 10 (6 inch) flour tortillas
• 3 cups shredded red cabbage
• 3/4 cup salsa verde
• Chipotle Mayonnaise

Instructions

• Chipotle Mayonnaise: In a blender, add lime juice, chipotle chiles, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Blend until completely smooth and incorporated. Refrigerate until tacos are ready to serve.
• In a deep skillet or deep fryer, add vegetable oil until 2 inches deep. Place over medium heat or 375 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, beat the egg white until frothy.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt, parsley, paprika, baking powder, garlic powder, and baking soda. Mix in water and frothy egg white until smooth. Toss in shrimp until coated.
• Once oil reaches 275 degrees F, fry shrimp, a few at a time to not overcrowd, until golden brown and cooked through, 2-3 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon onto towel lined plate and repeat with remaining shrimp.
• To assemble, place flour tortilla on plate. Top with about 3 shrimp and some red cabbage. Drizzle with salsa verde and chipotle mayonnaise. Serve hot with lime slices.