- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chiles
- 2 large ripe avocados, peeled, pitted
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup minced shallots
- 2 tablespoons minced jalapeño chiles
- Vegetable oil (for deep-frying)
- 2 cups rice flour
- 2 cups club soda
- 24 uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail shells left intact
- 4 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce
- Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté until very brown, about 6 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic, and chipotle chiles. Cook 1 minute. Transfer mixture to blender; puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer puree to bowl. Cover and chill until cold.
- Combine all ingredients in processor; puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer puree to bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface of puree; chill at least 20 minutes and up to 3 hours.
- Add enough vegetable oil to heavy large pot to reach depth of 3 1/2 inches. Heat over medium-high heat to 375°F.
- Whisk rice flour and club soda in large bowl to blend. Working in batches, dip shrimp into batter and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to paper towels.
- Divide romaine among 8 stemmed cocktail glasses. Simultaneously pour 1/4 cup tomato puree and 1/4 cup avocado puree over romaine in each glass, letting purees meet in center. Hang 3 shrimp over rim of each glass.
- Chipotle chiles canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.
- Rice flour is available at specialty and natural foods stores.