Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla issued a challenge to a bunch of food bloggers who are part of a group called Fish Friday Foodies.    Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm co-ordinates the whole thing.  Camilla was the host this month who came up with the overall theme.  We share our recipe on the third Friday of the month, which this was.  

The challenge she gave us was to cook a whole fish or seafood for #FishFridayFoodies.

I took the challenge, then I tried to find a local fisherman who could get me a whole flounder, cause I had plans on how to make it.

But life gets in the way and the calendar ticks down and suddenly it's TIME for Fish Friday Foodie!!!!

Luckily for me I got an invite to dinner at a friend's house and since we all bring stuff, I asked if I could bring an appetizer.  (I needed an excuse to get off my ___ and make this).


Since it was a Cuban style meal, I decided to use the bottle of Mojo Marinade I'd picked up on an impulse a few weeks ago and put that together with some whole, head on shrimp and came up with this.

I call it Camarón entero Mojo loosely translated, it means Whole Mojo Shrimp.  

So here's how I did it.

I took the bottle of marinade and heated it up with a couple of teaspoons of sugar, then added a bunch of Thai Chile Peppers and let it sit for a couple of hours.   I wanted a strongly flavored dipping sauce, one with a touch of heat to it.  Then I decided to add some more peppers, only this time I crushed them up. 

Recipe: Camarón entero Mojo 
Serves 6-8 as an appetizer

Mojo Sauce for dipping and Marinade
20 oz. bottle of Mojo Marinade
4-6 dried Thai Chile Peppers, crushed (less if you like less heat, or more if you stand it.)
1/2 cup sugar (optional, but I didn't want the marinade to be too sour)
1/2 cup Orange Marmalade ( or more to taste)
1/2 cup EVOO


Bring to a boil and take off of the heat and let sit for an at least 2 hours so the peppers can soften and impart a little heat.  This is the sauce you will use for dipping the shrimp and for marinating as  well.

Pour 1/2 of the marinade over 1 pound head on shrimp and let marinate for at least 30 minutes.  If using peeled and deveined shrimp, don't marinate for more than 15 minutes.  (It turns the shrimp to moosh otherwise).

Take the shrimp out of the marinade and drain.  Heat up a medium saute pan coated with 1-2 Tablespoon EVOO, just til the oil starts to shimmer.  
Add the shrimp in a single layer, cook for a couple of minutes, then turn the shrimp over and continue to cook until they are cooked through.  You can tell it very easily, because the shrimp will turn bright pink and start to curl.  Add more EVOO as needed, for each panful.

***You could also cook these Aussie style and throw them on the barby...***

Take off the heat and remove to a platter to keep warm, cook the remainder of the shrimp.  Pour a little of the reserved marinade over top and serve with the rest of the Mojo Sauce. 

I did do a taste test before I brought them to the party, and they were so good.   
Definitely a dish I'll make again.   
My friends all gave them a thumbs up as well. 
I like having friends...

I also made a second appetizer but I'll wait and share that one later on.