Shrimp or Langoustines in Chile Sauce

Jumbo shrimp or imported langoustines are my preferred substitute for Veracruzan langostinos in this simple, bold-flavored classic based on a combination of dried chiles.

At Casa Bonilla in Coatepec, the sauce is flavored with the fresh leaves of allspice trees, which grow all around the area. The flavor is close to that of allspice berries, so the substitution doesn’t distort. The original also has fresh hoja santa, but in this case the dried leaf will do. Serve with