It was getting to be time for me to think about going to work, and the family hadn’t been fed. I had just brought a turkey home to thaw for Christmas dinner, and the only likely-looking shelf in the fridge had a somewhat sizable package with some ready-made Mexican restaurant-style rice and refried beans.
I opened the freezer and removed a pound of frozen shrimp (31-40 count), which I quickly thawed and removed the tails. In a small bowl, I whisked together approx. 1/2 cup of olive oil and 1/4 cup of tequila with a packet of McCormick brand Taco seasoning. I then sliced up half of a small onion and half of a bell pepper, threw them into the bowl with the shrimp and the marinade I’d put together, and let them soak for about ten minutes.
Then I heated a cast-iron skillet and stir-fried this concoction, served it over the rice, with the beans on the side. It made a thickish sauce that soaked into the rice really well.
Bloody delicious, and I’ll happily make it again. But I’ll also share the recipe with friends, and I’m not quite sure what to call it. Shrimp fajitas? Shrimp mole?
I would think either of those names would cause confusion or disappointment. “Mole” covers a huge swath of different sauces (mole poblano being the most popular in America), but nothing in your preparation suggests it would fit under even the loosest definition of “mole.” Here’s info on mole.
And, similarly, fajita is traditionally grilled skirt steak. The word “fajita” itself refers to skirt steak. That said, the word has been broadened in the US to mean pretty much any meat grilled or fried (often with peppers and onions,) and meant to be served on a tortilla. There’s not anything about your prep or serving style that would indicate “fajita” being a possible name for your dish.
I order a similar-ish dish in Mexican restaurants called “camarones rancheros” (ranch-style shrimp). I don’t know if they use tequila in their prep, but it’s right in the neighborhood.