Ingredients : Meat, Poultry & Seafood

I grew up eating chorizo in Mexico, and I love it.  It comes in deep-burnt-reddish links of fresh, moist, exotically seasoned ground meat, that once, fried, becomes crisp and filling bites with bold flavors and a thousand uses.

When I moved to the United States, more than a dozen years ago, I was thrilled to find chorizo in international grocery stores.  Lately, I have been intrigued and surprised to see that my Mexican chorizo is now accompanied by many other kinds in the refrigerated sections of bigger, more mainstream stores (continue for more information and photos).

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Dried shrimp are used not only for the Caldo de Camarón, or Shrimp Soup or Broth. They are  also used to make shrimp patties that are then bathed in different mole sauces. Also to prepare tamales, rice, bean and potato dishes.  Even some salsas that used them ground as a seasoning and thickening base.

Dried shrimp come in different sizes, from the miniature ones smaller than 1/2" to much larger ones bigger than 3". Because they are lightly cooked, then salted and left to dry in the sun, they concentrate their flavor intensely and deeply. They are also quite salty (continue for more information and photo).

Continue reading Dried Shrimp: Camarón Seco