Menu

McPherson Cellars

South Texas Shrimp Fajitas

Recipe thanks to Lisa Fain, Homesick Texan

Along the Texas coast, fajitas made from Gulf shrimp fresh from the ocean are a local favorite. After a lively bath in grapefruit juice and lime, the shrimp is quickly cooked on a hot skillet then stuffed into warm tortillas with peppers and onions. Lively and satisfying, these South Texas shrimp fajitas pair well with a crisp glass of white wine, like McPherson Cellars Verde Verde. And no matter where you find yourself, these tacos will remind you of a day at the beach.

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup Ruby Red grapefruit juice
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 jalapeño, chopped
  • 1/4 cup cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Pinch cayenne
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 2 bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
  • 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • Lime wedges
  • 12 flour tortillas, warmed, for serving
  • Guacamole, pico de gallo, and sour cream, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. To make the marinade, in a blender or food processor, mix together the olive oil, grapefruit juice, lime juice, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, cumin, oregano, cayenne, and salt. Blend until well combined then pour over the shrimp and marinate, refrigerated, for 30 minutes. (Don’t marinade longer than that or the citrus will turn the shrimp mushy.)
  2. To make the fajitas, drain the shrimp from the marinade, discarding the marinade. In a large, heavy skillet, heat up the canola oil on medium heat. Add the peppers and onion and cook while stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until softened.
  3. Remove the peppers and onions from the skillet. Add the shrimp to the skillet. While stirring occasionally, cook until pink and firm, about 3-5 minutes. Squeeze a couple of lime wedges over the shrimp. Turn off the heat.
  4. Return the peppers and onions to the skillet and combine with the shrimp. Serve in the skillet immediately with warm flour tortillas, guacamole, and pico de gallo on the side so people can make their own fajita tacos.

Lisa Fain is the seventh-generation Texan behind the regional food blog Homesick Texan. A James Beard award-winning writer, she is also the author of three books—The Homesick Texan Cookbook, The Homesick Texan’s Family Table, and Queso: Regional Recipes for the World’s Favorite Chile-Cheese Dip. She has been featured in many publications including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Parade, Southern Living, and Texas Monthly, and she has photos in the permanent collections of The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and The Library of Congress. While she was indeed homesick during the two decades she lived in New York City, the call of family, friends, bluebonnets, and Tex-Mex recently brought her back to the Lone Star State and she now calls Dallas home.