Shrimp Aguachile with Cucumber-Watermelon Salad
17
- Prep Time20 mins
- Total Time30 mins
- Makes4 servings
Produced by Aimee Nishitoba, Photo by Christie Vuong, Food Styling by Eshun Mott, Prop Styling by Christine Hanlon.
Aguachile couldn’t be a more straightforward name for this coastal Mexican dish: it translates to “chili water” and is a spicier cousin of citrus ceviche. This version isn’t strictly traditional—aguachile is usually served in a nearly raw, less-cured state—but it’s a great option if you don’t have access to ultra-high-quality freshly caught shrimp. —Chantal Braganza
Ingredients
2 cups roughly torn cilantro leaves, stems set aside
3 large strips lime rind
3 1⁄2 tbsp kosher salt, divided
1 1⁄4 cups fresh lime juice, divided
1 or 1/2 serrano pepper
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
2 400-g pkgs frozen peeled raw shrimp, thawed
1 1⁄2 cups diced cucumber
1 1⁄2 diced seedless watermelon
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup thinly shaved red cabbage
1/2 cup thinly shaved watermelon radish
4 avocados, peeled, pitted and mashed
1 to 2 pkgs prepared corn tostadas, about 16
Instructions
Combine cilantro stems, lime rind and 2 tbsp salt in a large saucepan. Place a fine-mesh strainer or sieve inside saucepan over stems and rind, then fill with water. Bring to a simmer over high.
Meanwhile, combine cilantro leaves, 1 cup lime juice, serrano pepper and 1 tbsp salt in a blender. Blend until smooth. Scrape mixture into a medium bowl. Pour 1⁄4 cup oil overtop. Set aside.
When water comes to a simmer, reduce heat to medium. Add shrimp to strainer. Cook, covered, until shrimp is pink and mostly, but not fully, cooked, 2 to 3 min. Remove strainer and immediately run shrimp under cold tap water to stop cooking process. Gently pat shrimp dry with paper towels or a clean tea towel to remove excess moisture, then add to cilantro-lime mixture. Stir to combine, then set aside.
Whisk 1⁄4 cup each lime juice and oil and 1/2 tbsp salt in a large bowl. Stir in cucumber, watermelon, onion and cabbage. Season with pepper.
Arrange bowls of shrimp aguachile, cucumber and watermelon salad, watermelon radish, mashed avocados, extra cilantro and quartered limes on table to serve family style.
Assemble aguachile tostadas by smearing mashed avocado on a tostada, then topping with salad, shrimp and other toppings as desired.
Kitchen tip
A vegetable peeler can do double duty in this recipe: Use it to peel off large strips of lime rind (avoiding as much of the bitter white pith as possible) and to thinly shave the cabbage and radish if you don’t have a mandolin.
Hot swaps
I’m a ride or die for a serrano pepper’s zippy, green herbal flavour—but it isn’t always available in grocery stores. Here are a few other options.
Jalapeno
Juicy, spicy and dependably available at your local grocer.
Aji Limo
Used in Peruvian-style ceviche, this citrusy lemon-drop pepper will give your aguachile a yellow hue.
Habanero
For heat seekers only! This chili ranks 10 times hotter than serrano on the Scoville scale.