Chef Feature: Carlos Camacho + Aguachile Negro de Camarones

CHEF CARLOS CAMACHO

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Regional Executive Chef - Toro Toro, El Centro & La Sandia in Washington, DC
Follow Chef Camacho on Instagram

RSH: How long have you been with Richard Sandoval Hospitality?
CC: 2 years and 3 months

RSH: When did you know you wanted to be a chef?
CC: When I was 5 years old,  my mother put me in the kitchen using a bench to help her make molcajete sauce!

RSH: How do you get your inspiration?
CC: My daily inspiration is my children and my mother. My day-to-day mental inspiration are my guests at the restaurants - creating and offering part of my creations and seeing their faces of enjoyment when tasting my dishes is one of the strongest inspirations that exists.

 RSH: Funniest kitchen incident?
CC: Maybe not funny but very strange… One time I started to lose my voice because I was yelling too much in the kitchen (before we had screens we had to call orders to each other). 

RSH: Best cooking tip for a beginner chef just getting into the business?
CC: Test what your kitchen produces .... observe, study and analyze a system or technique before making a decision ... if something is not broken don’t fix it!

RSH: Astrological Sign?
CC: Scorpio

 RSH: Hometown?
CC: Cuernavaca Morelos , Mexico

RSH: Guilty Pleasure?
CC: My mom’s homemade food

RSH: Drink of Choice?
CC: Black label

RSH: One-word description of yourself?
CC: Persistent

RSH: Favorite Richard Sandoval restaurant?
CC: El Centro

RSH: Favorite 90’s jam?
CC: Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice 

RSH: Last Meal?
CC: My mom’s homemade mole with chicken

RSH: Do you have a favorite food to cook with?
CC: Dried chilies 

RSH: Favorite Sports team to cheer for?
CC: Mexican soccer team

RSH: Favorite kitchen gadget?
CC: The grill

RSH: What recipe are you sharing with us today? Why do you love this recipe?
CC: Aguachile Negro de Camarones - I love the flavor profile of dried chiles!


Aguachile Negro de Camarones

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YIELD: Serves 4 to 6 (Appetizer)

INGREDIENTS

For Toasting the Chiles:

  • 1 guajillo chile

  • 1 cascabel dried chile

  • 1 dried ancho chile

For the Leche de Tigre:

  • 2 cups fresh lime juice

  • 5 oz. white fish such as fluke, seabass, or sole

  • 1 cup fish stock

  • 2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped

  • 2 tbsp finely grated fresh peeled ginger

  • 3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  • 1⁄2 large yellow onion, sliced (1 cup)

  • 1 tsp kosher salt

  • 1 tsp Maggi Seasoning

  • 2 tsp finely chopped cilantro stems

To Assemble:

  • 1 pound sashimi-grade head-on shrimp or 12 medium shrimp, shells and heads removed

  • 2 tbsp diced cucumber

  • 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced

  • 3-4 radishes, thinly sliced

  • Diced avocado, for serving

  • Chopped cilantro, for serving

  • Sliced limes, for serving

  • Tortilla Chips, for serving

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.

  2. Split shrimp in half lengthwise and discard any veins. Transfer to a plate, sprinkle all over with salt, cover with plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours.

  3. Toast the dried chilies in the oven 3-5 minutes, then remove & let cool. Once cool, remove the seeds and set aside.

  4. Make the Leche de Tigre: Blend lime juice, fish, fish stock, celery, ginger, garlic, onion, salt and Maggi seasoning in a blender until smooth. Add coriander sprigs and toasted chiles and blend until finely chopped. Pass through a fine sieve and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

  5. Assemble the dish: Mix the shrimp, cucumber, red onion, radishes together in a mixing bowl.

  6. To plate, spread the Leche de Tigre sauce in a shallow bowl and top with shrimp mixture. Garnish with avocado, cilantro and salt & pepper to taste. Serve with chips & fresh limes.