We love shrimp cocktail and we especially love the shrimp cocktail at Azotea Cantina. No need to dip the shrimp in messy cocktail sauce; it comes already seasoned and with corn tortillas and slivered vegetables that make it easy to wrap and eat. What’s in that sauce?
Mark Sargeant, Decatur
General manager Lexi Porter was happy to share the recipe for the dish that’s been on the menu, with some variations, since the restaurant opened. Sam Godinez, district manager for La Bonanza Hospitality Group, the owners of Azotea Cantina, added he believes it’s a favorite because customers love the combination of lime, pico de gallo and the restaurant’s signature salsa pulla.
Leftover Pico de Gallo and Red Salsa Pulla can be used as a topping for tacos, burritos, as a dip for tortilla chips or served with grilled meats or scrambled eggs.
Azotea’s Shrimp Cocktail “Red Salsa Pulla”
6 extra-large cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp
1/2 avocado, diced
3 tablespoons Pico de Gallo (see recipe)
2 tablespoons Red Salsa Pulla (see recipe)
Juice of 1/2 lime
To serve: slivered green cabbage, slivered red onion, 4 corn tortillas
Cilantro sprig, for garnish
In a medium bowl, gently stir together shrimp, avocado, Pico de Gallo, Red Salsa Pulla and lime juice. Arrange on serving plate with cabbage and red onion and serve corn tortillas alongside. Garnish with cilantro.
Serves 1.
Per serving: 269 calories (percent of calories from fat, 51), 19 grams protein, 16 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams total sugars, 8 grams fiber, 16 grams total fat (2 grams saturated), 143 milligrams cholesterol, 1,110 milligrams sodium.
Pico de Gallo
1 cup diced fresh pineapple
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 large white onion, diced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 serrano pepper, stem removed, seeds removed if desired, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, or to taste
1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt, or to taste
In a medium bowl, combine pineapple, tomato, onion, cilantro, serrano pepper, lime juice and salt. Stir to combine, taste and add more lime juice or salt, if needed. Cover and store refrigerated until ready to use. May be made up to 1 day ahead.
Makes 2 cups.
Per tablespoon: 4 calories (percent of calories from fat, 3), trace protein, 1 gram carbohydrates, 1 gram total sugars, trace fiber, trace total fat (trace saturated fat), no cholesterol, 35 milligrams sodium.
Red Salsa Pulla
Red Salsa Pulla is a versatile combination of pureed dried peppers and tomatillo-based salsa verde.
Dried chipotle or morita peppers are available where Hispanic groceries are sold. Chicken base is a concentrated jarred paste found in most grocery store soup aisles.
5 dried chipotle or morita peppers
4 fresh tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed
2 serrano peppers, stems removed, seeds removed if desired
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
1 teaspoon chicken base
Put chipotle or morita peppers in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand 1 hour.
In a medium saucepan, combine tomatillos, serrano peppers and garlic and cover with water. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook uncovered 15 minutes or until tomatillos are tender. Drain vegetables into a colander, discarding cooking liquid. Move cooked vegetables to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade or jar of a blender and add salt and chicken base. Drain peppers and add them to the food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Move mixture to a container and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Makes 1 cup.
Per tablespoon: 4 calories (percent of calories from fat, 25), trace protein, 1 gram carbohydrates, trace total sugars, trace fiber, trace total fat (trace saturated), trace cholesterol, 103 milligrams sodium.
From the menu of . . . Azotea Cantina, The Green at Atlantic Station, 245 18th St. NW, Atlanta. 404-902-6040, azoteacantina.com.
Is there a recipe from a metro Atlanta restaurant you’d like to make at home? Tell us and we’ll try to get it. We’ll also test it and adapt it for the home kitchen. Because of volume, we can’t answer all inquiries. Send your request, your address and phone number to fromthemenu@gmail.com and put “From the menu of” and the name of the restaurant in the subject line.
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