Recipe courtesy of JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa.
In this dish from JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa, the rich, earthy heat of roasted poblanos and pepper Jack cheese over Barilla campanelle pasta provides a satisfying stage for the star of the show, guajillo chile-glazed shrimp. Brilliant in color and bursting with sweet-spicy chile flavor, the shrimp bring a wow factor to this South of the Border take on mac and cheese.
4 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded
6 pounds Barilla Campanelle
8 ounces dried pasilla chiles, seeded
1 pound dried guajillo chiles, seeded
8 ounces dried ancho chiles, seeded
1 cup cumin seeds, toasted
1 1/3 cups apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup dried Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups packed brown sugar
96 pieces 16/20 shrimp, peeled
4 bunches cilantro, chopped
- Make the poblano cream – Broil the poblanos until charred on the outsides. Cover and steam them until the skins can be removed. Discard the skins and seeds. Puree together the roasted poblanos and stock. In a large skillet, melt the butter and add the poblano puree. Stir in the cream, cream cheese, and 8 ounces of the pepper jack cheese until the cheeses melt. Whisk until smooth.
- Cook the Barilla pasta for half the time indicated on the package. Drain pasta and drizzle with some olive oil to prevent from sticking. Pour it into a greased hotel pan and combine it with the poblano cream sauce. Bake at 400 degrees F until the top is golden brown.
- Make the guajillo glaze – Combine the tomatoes, onions, and garlic in a roasting pan. Roast at 500 degrees F until the tomato skins are blackened. Let the vegetables cool and pop the garlic out of the skins.
- In a cast-iron pan, dry roast the chiles until they are fragrant. Pour hot water over them to rehydrate. Drain and puree them with the roasted vegetables, cumin, vinegar, salt, lime juice, oregano, cloves, cinnamon, and sugar. Add some of the chile-soaking liquid as needed to loosen the puree.
For each serving, to order:
- Reheat a square of pasta in the oven while you saute the shrimp.
- Heat some oil in a pan and saute 4 shrimp until they are light pink. Stir in 1/2 cup guajillo glaze and a pinch of cilantro.
- Plate the hot pasta and surround it with the glazed shrimp.