Name: Shrimp Empanada Filling
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 16 ounces shrimp (recipe calls for 10 oz but bags come in 16 oz), chopped into half-inch pieces; Sofrito (2 onions, 1 red pepper, 2 green peppers, 2 large tomatoes, 1 bunch cilantro, 1 bunch parsley, 1 whole head of garlic - all blended); 8 ounces tomato sauce; Colby Jack cheese [approx 1 cup, shredded]; Salt and pepper to taste

The Pantry Essentials

16 ounces shrimp (recipe calls for 10 oz but bags come in 16 oz), chopped into half-inch pieces

Sofrito (2 onions, 1 red pepper, 2 green peppers, 2 large tomatoes, 1 bunch cilantro, 1 bunch parsley, 1 whole head of garlic - all blended)

8 ounces tomato sauce

Colby Jack cheese [approx 1 cup, shredded]

Salt and pepper to taste

The Preparation

Prepare sofrito by blending together onions, red pepper, green peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, parsley, and garlic until smooth. This is your flavor base.

Heat a pan over medium heat. Add the sofrito and cook down.

Add tomato sauce and stir to combine.

Add chopped shrimp to the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes until shrimp just turn pink - do not overcook or they will become rubbery.

Remove from heat immediately.

Stir in shredded Colby Jack cheese while the mixture is still warm.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Let cool completely before filling empanada dough.