Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Salsa

Endings tend to suck, especially when good things come to an end. I always try to view life through rosé–colored glasses, though, so I usually find the silver lining in moving on from positive phases or aspects of my life. However, with my time as Food Boy here at Street coming to a close, I’ve yet to find that silver lining. It’s been such a fun and fulfilling experience coming up with and trying out new recipes every week and befriending the wonderful people on staff. So for my last recipe, I decided on some easy and dope tacos for a few reasons. First, these tacos are light, tangy and great for the summer months ahead of us. Second, they’re perfect to share with friends and as Street staff already knows, I get as much enjoyment over sharing the food I make with others as I do making it. Finally, as the name suggests, this recipe calls for pineapple, a symbol of welcome and hospitality in many cultures. (Pineapple also has some certain other added benefits, as you’ll learn elsewhere in this issue). So instead of saying goodbye with this recipe, I’m welcoming the future. With these tacos, my future is looking pretty sweet and spicy!

Ingredients (serves 2; $4.24/serving):

¾ lb of shrimp, peeled and deveined ($6.49/lb at FroGro)

1 cup of pineapple, chopped ($1.99/lb at FroGro)

1 15–oz can of black beans ($0.88/can at FroGro)

1 medium tomato, chopped ($1.49/lb at FroGro)

½ of a red onion, chopped ($1.49/lb at FroGro)

1 jalapeno, chopped ($0.10 each at FroGro)

1 lime ($0.66 each at FroGro)

Mini corn or flour tortillas ($1.79/pack at FroGro)

Salt and pepper

Procedure (20-25 minutes):

  1. Finely chop the pineapple, tomato, onion and jalapeno. Remove the seeds and ribs (the white parts inside) to turn down the spiciness. Drain and rinse the black beans.

  2. In a bowl, mix all the salsa ingredients together with the juice of half the lime. Add some salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.

  3. Heat a pan over medium heat with a bit of olive oil.

  4. Pinch off the shrimp tails and season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Cook for around 5 minutes until pink.

  5. Wipe out the pan, turn the heat down to low, and heat up the tortillas in the pan for around 30 seconds per side.

  6. Assemble the tacos by adding the shrimp and the salsa on top. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

Tips and Tricks:

To save some time, use pre–cooked shrimp. Throw them in the pan for a minute or two just to heat them through. I personally have an extremely low tolerance for spicy food, but for a spicier salsa, leave the seeds and ribs of the jalapeno in. Also, if you actually like cilantro, chop some up and toss it into the salsa. Based on how stuffed you make your tacos, you will probably have salsa left over. Keep it in the fridge covered with plastic wrap or up to a week and enjoy with some chips. Finally, scale this recipe up and invite your homies over for a cheaper Taco Tuesday. There is no better way to bond with friends than while eating tacos together!

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