Ceviche by Another Name…
Aguachile is a delicious cousin to ceviche. While traditional ceviche is marinated for 15-20 minutes and consist of shellfish, fish, tomato, cucumber, and other ingredients, Aguachile is a quick, spicy dish with shrimp, octopus, squid (or a combination of these) marinated for just under 6-8 minutes (my version) in lime juice, spicy chiles and water, then served immediately. To this end, freshness is obviously key.
The Skinny on Shrimp
This dish screams for fresh-never frozen shrimp. Keep everything well chilled at all times!
I use wild-caught shellfish/fish only for a myriad of reasons. By working with products in season and sustainably caught, future generations will have the opportunity to enjoy these dishes. Not only are they healthier, but they taste better, as nature intended. In this recipe, I’m using 16-20 ct. Wild-caught white shrimp from the Gulf Coast of Texas-the best I can get in my area. Available to me this spring are pink shrimp (sweetest), gulf coast browns (most firm), or spot prawns (sweet and tender). Mind you that this dish hails from Sinaloa, Mexico, on the Pacific Coast, which has access to super fresh seafood. Frozen shrimp won’t taste nearly as good as fresh.
You can make this as spicy as you wish. I’m using a mature red jalapeño which is the middle of the road on the spice scale. For a spicier kick, use serrano or habanero. Alternatively, you can leave the seeds and pith out of the sauce for a mild version. Additionally, while I’m not using avocado in this presentation, it would make an excellent garnish.
This is a very refreshing light summer appetizer. Serve with warm tortilla chips and cold beer.
Depending on ripeness, expect to squeeze 12-14 limes to yield 1 cup of juice. Mexican limes are smaller than Persian limes, which are standard in most US grocery stores. Mexican limes are more like Key limes in size and taste. For a source on Key Lime juice, check out our Shop Ingredients page. When Mexican limes are fully ripe, the skin turns yellow; that’s when you know they are perfect.
One cup of freshly squeezed lime juice. Many grocery stores carry freshly squeezed lime juice (not concentrate). For a great product, go to the Shop Ingredients section of this blog.
First, peel and devein the shrimp.
Turn the shrimp onto its back and cut the length without cutting all the way through.
Repeat this procedure until all the shrimp are butterflied. Then, place all the shrimp back into the refrigerator or on crushed ice to keep cold.
Peel and cut the ends off of 1/2 red onion. Slice the onion (julienne style) to get thin strips.
There’s no need to peel and seed using an English cucumber if you are using a standard cucumber, peel, and seed before slicing into half-moon shapes.
Cut the stem on a red jalapeno and remove the pith and seeds. (Reserve the pith and seeds for the sauce). Next, slice the jalapeno in half and cut the pepper into skinny slices. Once the pepper is thinly sliced, cut the strips in half.
Chop the cilantro, parsley and add the seeds and pith from the jalapeno. Aguachile is meant to be spicy, but if you prefer, omit the jalapeno seeds and pith for a mild version. For a super spicy version, add more seeds and pith.
Add the cilantro, parsley, shrimp stock, lime juice, and jalapeño seeds to the blender and process until smooth using the low to a medium-low setting.
The sauce should be bright green and vibrant. Taste test the sauce which should be a bit bitter from the herbs. Balance the taste with a pinch or two of salt, sugar, or stevia.
Place the fresh cold shrimp in a shallow dish and tightly pack them, cut side up. (You can prep up to this point and keep everything cold until you are ready for the final stage. However, once the lime juice and shrimp are combined, you are committed to serving immediately to keep everything at its peak.)
Add the freshly squeezed cold lime juice and marinate for 3-4 minutes on one side. (The size determines the length of the marinade. The bigger the shrimp size, the longer the time and vice versa)
After 3-4 minutes, turn the shrimp over to marinate the inside cut. Drain the lime juice into the blender with the herbs. Be careful not to over-marinate!
As you can see, the shrimp have lightly “cooked” in the lime juice. Next, salt the shrimp liberally with high-quality sea salt (Maldon). The high acid of the lime juice has given the shrimp an opaque or cooked appearance. Given the size of these shrimp, marinating more than 6-8 minutes total will make the shrimp chewy. (Keep this in mind: The final assembly of this dish should be served immediately as the shrimp will continue to get more rubbery as they sit in the sauce.)
Dress the plate with the pickled cucumber.
Top the dish with the pickled red onion and red jalapeno strips.
Ladle the cilantro/parsley sauce over the shrimp. Drizzle with high-quality extra virgin olive oil and season with Maldon sea salt.
Serve immediately. The shrimp will continue to cook in the lime/cilantro mixture, making it chewy and tough after 30 minutes.
Aguachile de Camaron is a celebration of summer and fresh ingredients! Serve with diced avocado, warm tortilla chips, and plenty of ice-cold Mexican beer. This plate of shrimp can be shared between six or eaten as a hearty appetizer for one.
Wine pairing: Chicago Rosé, 2018, Languedoc, France, Rosé, 2018, Languedoc France, Rosé De Pinot Noir, 2017, Coteaux du Giennois, France
Aguachile de Camaron
Equipment
- chef knife
- boning or fillet knife for cleaning the shrimp
- cutting board
- measuring cups and spoons
- medium pot for making shrimp stock
- fine mesh sieve
Ingredients
Shrimp
- ½ lb shrimp, head-on fresh, 16-20 ct. peeled, deveined, and butterflied
Shrimp Stock or Alternatively store-bought
- ¾ cup shrimp heads, reserved from cleaning
- 2-2½ cups water
- ⅓ cup carrot, rough chop
- ⅓ cup onion, rough chop
- ⅓ cup celery, rough chop
- 2 tbsp. parsley, rough chop
- 1 whole bay leaf
Pickled Vegetables
- ½ whole red onion, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- ½ whole cucumber, English sliced (or 1 regular cucumber seeded and peeled)
- 1 whole red jalapeno, seeded with seeds reserved (Alternatives Serrano, Tepin chile, seeded thinly sliced)
- 1 tsp. sea salt, (Maldon)
- ¼ cup vinegar, sherry, or champagne
Aguachile
- ½ cup stock, shrimp
- 1 cup lime juice
- 1 tsp black pepper, coarse grind to taste
- ½ cup parsley, cleaned and chopped
- ½ cup cilantro, cleaned and chopped
- 1 pinch of sugar
- 2 tbsp olive oil, good quality
Optional
- ½ whole diced avocado (optional)
- ½ tsp sea salt, (Maldon) to taste
Instructions
- Chill one large platter or plate(s).
Make Shrimp Stock
- Remove the heads and peel, devein and butterfly shrimp. Reserve heads for stock and stores the shrimp separately. Keep cold and reserve.
- Rinse the heads reserved from cleaning the shrimp. Place the shrimp heads in a pot with the roughly chopped onion, carrot, celery, and bay leaf. Add the water and bring to a low boil. Reduce to a simmer and let cook for 30 minutes: strain and reserve shrimp stock.
Pickle the Cucumber, Onion, and Chili strips
- Cut the English cucumber into think slices.
- Core a red jalapeño and cut in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds, but reserve for the next step. Slice the jalapeño into skinny strips(The seeds and pith from the jalapeño will provide the heat for the parsley cilantro sauce.)
- Peel ½ red onion, then core and cut into thin strips (julienne style cut).
- Add the red onions, thin cucumber slices, and thinly sliced red jalapeño to a bowl and toss with sherry vinegar, lime juice, and a pinch of sea salt.
Cure the Shrimp
- Squeeze or juice approximately 8-9 limes (preferably Mexican limes) to make 1 cup of juice and reserve.
- Generously season the cleaned shrimp with 1 tsp of sea salt. Toss to coat the shrimp well. Cover the shrimp with enough fresh lime juice to cover them. Allow soaking for 5 minutes. Remove the shrimp, but reserve the lime juice for the Aguachile sauce.
Make the Aguachile
- Using a blender or food processor, add ¼ cup/60ml of the shrimp stock, puree cleaned chopped parsley, cilantro reserved red jalapeño seeds, and pith, ¼ cup lime juice. Do not over-process the puree in the blender, as this will darken the sauce. It should be bright, green, and fresh.(For a mild Aguachile, skip the step with the seeds and pith.)
- To assemble the plate(s):
- Once the shrimp has marinated in the lime juice, remove and artfully arrange the shrimp on the platter. In between each shrimp, add the marinated cucumber, red jalapeno strips, and red onion—season with a good quality sea salt.
- Spoon on some of the parsley/cilantro purees to cover the shrimp and cucumbers.
- Top with a drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Serve immediately.