For Seafood Lovers (ingredients, celery, carrot, ketchup)

[Baja Boomer]

I have two simple Mexican recipes for seafood lovers. One is an authentic Shrimp Cocktail, the other a seafood cocktail called Campechana that is usually made of oysters, baby octopus, mussels, shrimp, squid and scallops. Campechana (which originated in the state of Campeche) is prepared in its broth with vegetable juice, lime juice, ketchup, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, avocado and cilantro.

Both dishes are traditionally served in big ice cream soda glasses, though you might also find campechana served in a big soup bowl. Here is the recipe for the Shrimp Cocktail; the recipe for Campechana, along with a photo and more information, is at Mexican Shrimp Cocktail and Coctel Campechana (Note: This is NOT the same thing as ceviche)

MEXICAN SHRIMP COCKTAIL:

Recipe inspired by Mexican Food Recipes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

For Poaching the Shrimp:

* 48 fresh, large shrimp with shells on
* water to cover shrimp (about 6 to 8 cups, depending on the size of the shrimp)
* 1 stick celery with leaves on
* 1 clove garlic
* 1 Roma tomato
* 1 white onion, peeled
* 1 carrot, washed but unpeeled
* 1 serrano chili, split from tip nearly to stem
* 5 stems of cilantro

For Making the Cocktail Sauce:

* Broth left over from poaching the shrimp
* 1 1/2 cups tomato catsup
* Sea salt to taste
* 4 tablespoons minced Roma tomato
* 4 tablespoons minced cucumber
* 4 tablespoons minced white onion
* Lime juice
* 1/2 teaspoon minced serrano chili
* 4 stems cilantro, roughly chopped

To Garnish:

1/2 cup guacamole
4 thick slices of lime

Directions:

In large, straight-sided pan, put enough water to cover the shrimp, about 6 to 8 cups depending on how big the shrimp are. Bring water to a boil, add poaching ingredients, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add raw shrimp and simmer for another 5 minutes or so, until shrimp are still pink but very tender. Immediately remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and immerse them in ice water to stop them from overcooking, which makes them tough.

Discard the vegetables but keep the poaching liquid and chill it. Note that it is the briny taste the shrimp adds to the broth that makes this dish special.

Shell and devein the shrimp, and chill them some more if necessary.

To serve, mix the catsup with the reserved poaching liquid, the sea salt, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Divide the onion, tomato, and cucumber between 4 serving glasses and do the same with the serrano chili and cilantro.

Put 12 shrimp in each glass and pour the sauce over the top to cover everything.

Garnish each glass with a lime wedge and add a dollop of guacamole on top of the shrimp cocktail.

Buen provecho!

[Littleme]

That sounds wonderful. Thank you for posting it.