When a dish is referred to as a la mexicana, it is made with tomatoes, onions and chiles, combined here with the plentiful shrimp from the coastal waters of Mexico.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons oil
3/4 cup (6 oz/185 g) finely chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lb (1 kg) ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons dried thyme
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons canned chile güero jiuce
2 tablespoons (1 oz/30 g) butter
2 lb (1 kg) shrimp (prawns), shelled and deveined
3 tablespoons chopped parsley canned chiles güeros.

Instructions:
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes or until transparent. Add the tomatoes and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the pepper, bay leaves, thyme, salt and chile juice. Cook, covered, over low heat for 5 minutes. Correct the seasonings.
- Before serving, melt the butter in a skillet and lightly sauté the shrimp. Add the shrimp to the hot sauce and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked. Sprinkle each serving with chopped parsley and garnish with a chile güero.

----------

Serves 6