CHIPOTLE SHRIMP

Spicy, garlicky, smoky and (like the best barbecued shrimp) not too saucy. You can pick them up with your fingers and pop them right into your mouth, one after another after another. They are wonderful party food for the not-too-timid, though truthfully I can't imagine that all won't eventually be won over to these glowing flavors.

This shrimp dish is a great rendition of classic Veracruz cooking. If you take the time to make Sweet-and-Smoky Chipotle Seasoning Salsa, the dish will take on incredible depth of flavor. Still, I'd never turn them down made the quick way with chopped canned chipotles. With Classic White Rice to serve alongside the shrimp, you'll have the perfect summer meal. And since they're good at room temperature, carry them on a picnic or pass around a platter sprinkled with chopped cilantro, as the starter for a great feast. This is beer food, in my opinion--icy Bohemia or Negra Modelo taste great here.

SERVES 6 GENEROUSLY

1. Roasting the flavorings. On an ungreased griddle or heavy skillet set over medium, roast the garlic cloves, turning occasionally, until soft (they will blacken in spots), about 15 minutes. Cool and peel.

While the garlic is roasting, lay the onion out on a small square of foil, set on the griddle and let sear, brown and soften, about 5 minutes per side.

Roast the tomatoes on a baking sheet set 4 inches below a very hot broiler until blackened in spots and soft, about 6 minutes; flip and roast the other side. Cool and peel, collecting all the juices with the tomatoes.

2. The sauce. Combine all the roasted ingredients in a food processor or blender, along with the pepper, cloves and 1/4 cup water. Process to a medium-smooth puree.

In a very large (12-inch) skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. When hot enough to make a drop of the puree sizzle noisily, add it all at once. Stir for several minutes as the mixture sears and darkens, then reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring regularly, until very thick, about 5 minutes. A tablespoon at a time, stir in the Chipotle Seasoning Salsa (or chopped chipotles), tasting until the thick salsa suits your own penchant for spiciness. (I think these are best when they've reached the upper levels of heat.) Taste, season with salt and remove from the heat.

3. The shrimp. Peel the shrimp, leaving the final joint and the tail intact. One at a time, devein the shrimp by laying them flat on your work surface and making a shallow incision down the back, exposing the (usually) dark intestinal tract and scraping it out.

Return the skillet with the sauce to medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, then slowly stir and turn for about 3 to 4 minutes, until the shrimp are just cooked through. (The sauce should nicely coat the shrimp, though it won't really pool around them.) Taste a shrimp, sprinkle on a little more salt if necessary, then pile up the crustaceans on a rustic platter and carry them to the table.

ADVANCE PREPARATION--The sauce (steps 1 and 2) may be made several days ahead; cover and refrigerate. Finish step 3 just before serving if you want them hot or several hours ahead for room-temperature shrimp.