A bright and zesty recipe for shrimp tacos with caramelized summer squash and jicama slaw.

This week my CSA from Green Gate Farms came with summer squash, onions, garlic and small bell peppers. Here is an easy recipe for healthy and flavorful tacos that are packed with veggies and delicious gulf shrimp. I have to admit, summer squash is not my favorite ingredient, but the one way I love to eat them is by caramelizing them. Suddenly this bland little vegetable becomes flavorful and rich. It pairs perfectly with the peppers to create a great compliment to the shrimp in the tacos. Use lemon or lime for this recipe. Zesty!

Shrimp and Summer Squash Tacos with Jicama Slaw

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 heads garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
1/2 small onion, small dice
2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp olive oil
4 summer squash cut into medium dice
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 peppers, sliced into thin strips
Juice of one lemon
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1/2 large jicama, julienned
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 cup feta or cojita cheese

Method

In a medium saute pan, over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add garlic and onion and let begin to brown. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Add lemon juice and toss again. Cook until the shrimp is pink and cooked through. Set aside.

In the same pan, add the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the summer squash and allow to begin to brown. Add the onion and garlic and toss to coat. When the onions begin to soften and turn translucent, add the peppers and toss. Allow the entire mixture to caramelize. Add the lemon juice and toss again. Let the liquid cook off then remove from heat. Toss with the shrimp.

Just before serving, slightly char your tortillas on the open flame of your stove. This imparts a much more intense and interesting flavor to the corn tortillas and softens them so they don't break or crack.

Toss the jicama, feta and cilantro in a bowl with lime or lemon juice.

To serve, lay two tortillas down on a plate. Fill with squash mixture, top with jicama and serve with your favorite hot sauce.