Aquachile is essentially a very spicy version of
ceviche typically made with shrimp (camarones in Spanish) or scallops. A mouthful of lime and burning chilies is as my friend from Jalisco says, "Damn good!" If you exclaim similarly, you can proudly call yourself an adoptive Mexican. If not, tone down your aguachile by adding half the serrano chilies.
You can also mitigate the heat with a small helping of sliced avocado. Its smooth creamy texture helps to cool the mouth as you eat. Even if you like it hot, the avocado is still a great option.
Aguachile is best served cold. As such, keep your shellfish chilled at all times as it will not have enough time to cool properly while marinating. If it's a particularly hot day, rest your shellfish on a plate of ice as you work to ensure that it remains cold.
Serves 4-6 as a starter
1
lb fresh shrimp or scallops4
serrano chilies, stemmed and rough chopped- Juice of 5-6 limes
1/3
cup cilantro1
tsp salt plus 1/4 tsp more1/2
small red onion, finely sliced1/3
cucumber
1
avocado, sliced8-10
tostadas as desired
For the best mouth feel, you will need to butterfly and devein your shrimp. Using a sharp knife, cut each shrimp lengthwise along the back. For larger shrimp, cut them cleanly into two halves. For smaller shrimp, do not cut all the way through so that the two halves stay together. Once open, remove the gray line of guts running through the center of the shrimp.
Butterflying the shrimp for aguachile con camarones. My shrimp are small so I am not cutting them completely in half
For large scallops, chop them in half or quarters so that each piece is about 1/2 inch across. Smaller scallops (often called bay scallops) can be used whole.
In a blender, add the chilies, lime juice, cilantro, and the first teaspoon of salt. Blend until the chilies are just broken up. Don't worry about making a smooth paste. A few chunks of chili are not a problem.
Ingredients for the aguachile
Cover the shellfish with the blended sauce. Marinate in the refrigerator for 15 - 20 minutes. You will know it's done when the surface of the shellfish begins to turn opaque and white. If the sauce does not completely cover the shellfish, stir the mixture after about 5 minutes to ensure it marinates evenly.
The shrimp is combined with the sauce and starting to marinate
While the shellfish is marinating, peel the cucumber and scrape out the seeds. Cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
Add the cucumber to the bowl of shellfish and toss to combine. Spoon the shellfish, cucumber and sauce into a large flat serving dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Top with the sliced onions and serve with tostadas and sliced avocados.
Shrimp aguachile, plated and ready to eat