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Shrimp and Octopus Fried Taquitos (Tacos de Manolette de Camarones y Pulpo)

Susana Trilling
A favorite of chef Susana Trilling, you can use any type of seafood in the stuffing for these fried tacos. The sauce is good with vegetable crudités or spread on totopos or tostadas.

Ingredients
  

Ingredients

    Octopus

    • ¾ pound octopus
    • ½ white onion cut in half
    • ½ head garlic cloves cut in half
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • Juice of 1 lime or lemon

    Mayonnaise

    • ½ teaspoon apple cider or other fruit vinegar
    • ¾ teaspoon smoked mole
    • 1 clove garlic finely chopped
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 cup mayonnaise

    Manolettes

    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 1 medium white onion finely chopped (about 1 cup)
    • 1 medium red bell pepper finely chopped
    • 2 stalks celery with leaves finely chopped
    • 1 fresh jalapeño seeded and finely chopped
    • 7 cloves garlic finely chopped
    • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    • ½ teaspoon ground white pepper ground
    • 1 cup orange juice
    • ½ pound shrimp peeled and deveined
    • ½ cup flat leaf parsley
    • 1 small hoja santa leaf chopped finely
    • 2 tablespoons garlic chives chopped fine
    • 1/2 pound gouda cheese or manchego, grated (2 cups)
    • Sea salt to taste
    • 30 flour tortillas
    • 2 cups neutral oil for frying like sunflower or canola

    Instructions
     

    Directions

      Octopus

      • In a medium saucepan heat 1 quart water, onion, garlic, sea salt, and lime juice until boiling.
      • Dip the octopus into the water three times. Add the octopus into the pot, lower the heat, and simmer the octopus over low heat for 1 hour, covered. It should be soft when finished cooking.

      Mayonnaise

      • In a medium mixing bowl, combine the vinegar with the mole until combined.
      • Add the garlic, black pepper, and sea salt. Whisk until combined.
      • Gradually whisk in the mayonnaise until all the ingredients are combined.
      • Mix well for a minute more until smooth. Set aside.

      Filling

      • Heat the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat.
      • Add the onions, and cook, stirring until transparent, about 3-5 minutes.
      • Add the bell pepper, celery, and jalapeño, and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes.
      • Add garlic and sauté two minutes more.
      • Add the previously poached octopus, Worcestershire sauce, orange juice, and white pepper. Cover and cook five minutes, until the juice is absorbed.
      • Add the shrimp and cook one minute.
      • Remove from heat and pour unto a bowl. Add parsley, hoja santa, chives, and cheese, and mix well. Add sea salt to taste. Let cool.

      Taquitos

      • Heat the tortilla in a large dry skillet or over the stove’s flame until just pliable, about 30 seconds on each side. Do not brown.
      • Fill with 1½ to 2 tablespoons of filling and fold up like a burrito. Secure with a toothpick.
      • Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Heat 2 cups of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Lower the taquitos into the hot oil and fry until golden, about 3-4 minutes. Set the taquitos on the baking sheet to drain. Serve two to a plate, with a dollop of the mayonnaise.