SHRIMP IN YUCA COCONUT PURéE

Steps:

• Make yuca purée:
• Bring yuca, water, onion, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until yuca is very tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Drain in a colander. When yuca is cool enough to handle, remove any stringy fibrous cores and transfer mixture to a food processor. Add coconut milk and remaining teaspoon salt and purée until very smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm, covered, until ready to serve.
• Make shrimp broth:
• While yuca cooks, simmer shrimp shells in water with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan, uncovered, until liquid is reduced to about 2 cups, about 20 minutes. Pour shrimp broth through a sieve into a bowl, discarding shells.
• Purée green bell pepper in cleaned food processor until smooth, about 1 minute.
• Heat olive oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then add pepper purée, onion, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt (mixture will splatter) and sauté, stirring occasionally, until mixture starts to brown, 6 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, malagueta peppers or Thai chiles (if using), and 1 cup shrimp broth (reserve remainder for another use) and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by half, about 6 minutes.
• Toss shrimp with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and add to tomato mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, until shrimp are just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and dendê oil (if using). Serve shrimp over yuca purée.
• *Available at some Latino markets.
• **Available at some Latino markets and sendexnet.com.