This Adobe Cream sauce rocks! I have been missing the flavors of The West lately. Playing around with this pasta sauce recipe had me so excited to get some of those zingy Mexican flavors I miss so much into my belly. It brings back so many memories of good Mexican or Mexican American cooking that I grew up with and still love today. Though my mother Did not like any, and I mean ANY spice, I would go to friends houses for dinner and discover the world of heat and flavor. Even my stepmother who grew up in the inland empire of Southern California was influenced by the Latin culture of California. My brothers and I would literally inhale her cooking when she would make something from her Southern Californian roots. Her slow cooker burritos are very spicy and excellent.
The smoky chipotle chilies in this adobe cream sauce make your tongue sing with a mariachi band in your mouth. It has just the right amount of heat without overpowering the flavor. By all means, if you want more heat, you could add more chilies, but I find 2 chilies from the can is just the right amount. Roasting a whole head of garlic made this sauce over the top delicious and well worth the effort. Other than the hour it takes to roast the head of garlic this sauce comes together very quickly and would make an excellent and tasty quick evening meal.
I used linguine for this recipe. But most certainly, you can use any pasta or even better, make your own fresh pasta. I have an excellent recipe I posted here. I used a pound of frozen shrimp that I thawed from the store, if you wish, you can use fresh, even substitute chicken, or tofu if you want. All of those would be excellent. The cheese I used is a traditional Queso Fresco. If you can’t find that, any mild cheese would work like a Monterey Jack or even mozzarella. Let me know in the comments below what you have used. I hope you enjoy this adobe cream sauce recip,e I know it will be a hit with your family.
The smoky chipotle chilies in the sauce make your tongue sing with a mariachi band in your mouth. It has just the right amount of heat without overpowering the flavor. Loads of succulent shrimp and roasted garlic will make this a hit with everyone.
- 1 whole head garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb shrimp, thawed shelled and deveined and tails removed
- 1 lb pasta or ½ recipe fresh from whattomunch.com
- ½ cup onion, finely chopped
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 chilies from a can of chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons of the sauce from the can of chipotle chiles
- ½ cup sliced green onions
- 8 oz queso fresco or other mild cheese, crumbled
- 1 1/2 fresh lemon
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Preheat the oven to 400°.
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Rub the head of garlic to remove some of the papery outer skin leaving the head still intact.
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Slice off the top ¼ inch to a ½ inch to expose the tops of the cloves of garlic.
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Cut the head of garlic in a piece of foil big enough to enclose the head completely.
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Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over the exposed garlic cloves.
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Crimp the foil over the top sealing in the garlic head.
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Place in the oven and roast for 1 hour.
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Let cool for a few minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients for the cream sauce.
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When the garlic has cooled down enough to handle, squeeze as much of the cooked garlic cloves onto a cutting board. Place the 2 chilies from the can of chipotle chilies on top of the garlic and mince all into a finely chopped paste. Combine with the 2 tablespoons of the chili sauce from the can and set aside.
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Place a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Heavily salt the water.
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While the pot of water is heating up, place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté the finely chopped onion and the mushrooms until they just begin to brown.
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Add the reserved minced garlic and chili paste mixture.
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Stir in the cream and salt and pepper.
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Bring the mixture to a boil and let reduce a minute or so.
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By now the water should be boiling. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions.
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While the pasta is cooking add the shrimp to the boiling cream sauce and reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for 5 minutes or so, until the shrimp have cooked through. If the pasta isn’t done yet, pull the sauce and shrimp off the heat and keep warm.
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When the pasta is finished cooking, reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water and add it to the cream sauce. Drain off the rest of the water.
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To serve, combine the pasta with the cream sauce and the shrimp. Top with the sliced green onions and the crumbled Queso Fresco. Squeeze a half of a lemon over the top to brighten up the flavor.
