There are three essential phases when cooking shrimp acorda:.
- Sautéeing the shrimp.
- Making flavorful stock with the shells and heads of the shrimp.
- Cooking, thickening and finishing the soaked bread mixture.
After you gather the necessary ingredients and kitchen tools, the first step is to cut the shrimp, shell the shrimp and separate the heads. Next, devein the shrimp.
Once you shell and devein the shrimp, it’s time to sauté them. First, heat olive oil in a large sauce pan and add garlic. Once the garlic is fragrant, add the shrimp and sauté for precisely one minute per side. Once the shrimp are cooked, place them in a bowl and set them aside.
Pro Tip
Season the shrimp with salt as you cook them.
Once you remove the shrimp, immediately pour the heads and shells into the same pan. Sauté the shells and heads for about a minute or two and then add two quarts of water. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down and simmer the broth for 25 to 30 minutes.
Place the bread in a high-sided mixing bowl and, once the stock is finished, strain the stock over the bread. Mix it a little until the bread is fully soaked – about 5 to 15 minutes.
Now it’s time to cut the shrimp into 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) pieces. Reserve four or five shrimp for the final presentation. Keep a bowl with the accumulated liquid from the shrimp for the next step.
Clean the saucepan that you used for the seafood stock and place it back on the stove. Add the accumulated cooked shrimp liquid (see above) plus a tablespoon of olive oil. Next, add the soaked bread to the pan and cook over medium heat until the mixture is thick and creamy – about 5 to 10 minutes.
Once the mixture is thick, take the pan off the heat and add three whole eggs, one at a time, until they’re incorporated. Add the cilantro and then the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp are just heated.
Once the shrimp acorda is fully cooked, ladel it in an earthenware bowl.
Place four or five whole shrimp on top of the acorda in a neat circular pattern. Crack an egg and place its yolk in the center of the whole shrimp.
Mix in the egg yolk just before you serve it to your guests. They’ll be wowed and you’ll be the hero of the dinner party.
