WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Served as an appetizer with crunchy tortilla chips or used as a topping for tostadas, this simple seafood dish is refreshing and summery. Rather than using heat to cook the seafood, traditional ceviche relies on acidic juices, such as lime or lemon juice, to do the “cooking.” Although there are many variations throughout Latin America, Mexican ceviche is often made with shrimp. We tested several combinations of acidic liquids, even white wine vinegar and cider vinegar, and settled on equal parts lime and lemon juice for the most well-rounded, balanced flavor. To bring the more-traditional lime flavor to the fore, we also added a bit of lime zest. We sliced each shrimp in half lengthwise, which helped all of the pieces to cook evenly and gave our ceviche a pleasant chunky texture. We rounded out the fresh flavor of the shrimp with a few seasoning ingredients: jalapeño, garlic, scallions, cilantro, and a pinch of sugar. We also liked the addition of tomato, which provided a welcome color and texture contrast to the shrimp. A bit of extra-virgin olive oil stirred in before serving helped to meld the flavors and add some depth. Be sure to pat the shrimp dry with paper towels so that any moisture does not water down the marinade. Serve with homemade chips.
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tomato, cored, seeded, and chopped fine
- ½ cup lemon juice (3 lemons)
- 1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
- 1 teaspoon grated lime zest plus ½ cup juice (4 limes)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt and pepper
- 1 pound extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled, deveined, tails removed, and halved
lengthwise - ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 scallions, sliced thin
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
- ½ teaspoon sugar
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Combine tomato, lemon juice, jalapeño, lime zest and juice, garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Stir in shrimp, cover, and refrigerate until shrimp are firm and opaque throughout, 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring halfway through refrigerating.
- Drain shrimp mixture in colander, leaving shrimp slightly wet, and transfer to serving bowl. Stir in oil, scallions, cilantro, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
