How to Make Shrimp and Bacon Flautas. An Easy and Very Tasty Crispy Fried Mexican Meal!

Shrimp n' Bacon Flautas

I'm a big big fan of the flauta (which in case you didn't know, is a little "flute" of rolled up corn tortilla that is rolled around a savory filling and then fried until crispy in a shallow pan of oil). It has the perfect combination and contrast of crunchy outside and toothsome inside - and they are seriously easy to make.

Shrimp and bacon are a classic combination, and creamy mashed potatoes taste fantastic in a flauta – so toss em' all together for your filling and you end up with something pretty unique and pretty tasty.

Shrimp, Bacon and Potato Flautas (for 2)

• 1/2 lb of peeled and deveined shrimp - You don’t need to spend a lot on big shrimp for this recipe where they will stay hidden inside a flauta – buy the sweet tasting smaller guys, and save a bundle
• ¼ pound of bacon, diced
• 2 or 3 plum tomatoes, chopped
• ¼ cup of spicy tomato salsa
• 1 medium large cooked potato
• ¼ cup of heavy cream
• Salt to taste
• 8 corn tortillas
• Spicy sauce, sour cream, and pico de gallo salsa as garnishes
  

Easy Steps

1. Heat a heavy fry pan over medium and toss in the bacon. Fry the bacon until just crisped, but not crunchy.
2. You want to leave about 1 Tbls of bacon fat in the pan to fry the shrimp, so drain any excess bacon fat from the fry pan.
3. Sprinkle a little salt over the shrimp and then add them to the pan, stir frying briefly – for about 30 seconds.
4. Add in the tomato slices and hot sauce, and raise the heat to high – cooking for another couple of minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened, the shrimp has cooked through and the mixture has thickened nicely.
5. Mash the potato and heat in the microwave until hot (if it's not hot already – I usually do this with a leftover potato) and then mix with the cream and add salt to taste.
6. Mix together the mashed potato mixture with the bacon/shrimp mixture, and taste again for salt – the filling is now ready for the tortillas.
7. Lay out your 8 corn tortillas and spoon the filling evenly between them.
8. Heat ¼ inch of vegetable oil in a clean frying pan
9. Working one at a time, roll a tortilla up into a little flute around the filling. Hold the tortilla rolled together with some kitchen tongs, and place in the hot oil, seam side down. Keep it held together with the tongs in the oil for a few seconds, or until it starts to crisp. Cook the flauta for a minute or two on both sides, or until it has crisped up nicely on all sides. Let drain and repeat with remaining flautas. As you get good at this, you can do a bunch at the same time.
10. Serve topped with more spicy sauce, a spoonful of sour cream and a little fresh tomato "pico de gallo" salsa and beside rice and beans.

It's delicious! And although the instructions may make it seem complicated, this can actually be made start to finish in about 10 minutes!

Enjoy