Ecuador-Inspired Shrimp Ceviche
This ceviche is inspired by ceviches from Central Ecuador, where blanching shrimp and including tomatoes in the sauce is common, according to Marisel E. Presilla’s authoritative 2012 book Gran Cocina Latina. The sauce for this one is so delicious, we drink every drop. The recipe calls for unpeeled shrimp, because the shells are used to make a quick broth in which to blanch them. Use the best shrimp you can find, wild, if possible.
Serves 6.
Ingredients
1 pound shrimp
Salt
1/4 medium red onion
A few sprigs of cilantro
1 medium ripe tomato, roughly chopped
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 to 1 arbol chile, seeds removed
2 small Persian cucumber, sliced about 1/4 inch / 7 mm thick
Tostadas for serving (optional)
Instructions
1. Rinse the shrimp and peel them, reserving the shells. Slice each shrimp vertically in half, and devein them. Fill a medium saucepan about halfway with water, and add salt so it tastes like the sea. Drop in the shrimp shells. Cut one slice of the red onion (about a centimeter or just under half an inch thick) and add it to the water, setting the rest of the onion aside. Add the cilantro and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer about 10 minutes.
2. While the broth is simmering, slice the remaining red onion into very thin slivers, and place them in a small bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cover the onions with warm water. Sit them sit 5 minutes, then rinse well, drain and pat them dry. Set aside.
3. Bring the broth to a boil again over high heat, then add the shrimp and cook very briefly — about 20 or 30 seconds — so it’s still a little translucent, not all the way opaque. Making sure to save the liquid, drain the shrimp through a large strainer. Run cold water over the shrimp to stop the cooking, then drain and place in a medium bowl. Set the liquid aside and let it cool.
4. Measure 3 ounces / 90 ml of the shrimp cooking liquid and put it in the jar of an immersion blender or regular blender. Add the tomato, lime juice, 3/4 teaspoon salt and half the arbol chile, and blend till it’s very smooth. Taste it, adjust salt if necessary, and if you’d like it spicier, add the other half of the chile and blend again. Pour the sauce over so all the shrimp are submerged. Let the shrimp soak for 5 minutes, then add the cucumbers and onions and let soak another 5 minutes.
5. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp, cucumbers and onions to a shallow serving bowl, and arrange them nicely. Pour the sauce over all, and serve immediately — with tostadas, if desired.
Ecuador-Inspired Shrimp Ceviche
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp
- Salt
- 1/4 medium red onion
- A few sprigs of cilantro
- 1 medium ripe tomato, roughly chopped
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1/2 to 1 arbol chile, seeds removed
- 2 small Persian cucumber, sliced about 1/4 inch / 7 mm thick
- Tostadas for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse the shrimp and peel them, reserving the shells. Slice each shrimp vertically in half, and devein them. Fill a medium saucepan about halfway with water, and add salt so it tastes like the sea. Drop in the shrimp shells. Cut one slice of the red onion (about a centimeter or just under half an inch thick) and add it to the water, setting the rest of the onion aside. Add the cilantro and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer about 10 minutes.
- While the broth is simmering, slice the remaining red onion into very thin slivers, and place them in a small bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cover the onions with warm water. Sit them sit 5 minutes, then rinse well, drain and pat them dry. Set aside.
- Bring the broth to a boil again over high heat, then add the shrimp and cook very briefly — about 20 or 30 seconds — so it’s still a little translucent, not all the way opaque. Making sure to save the liquid, drain the shrimp through a large strainer. Run cold water over the shrimp to stop the cooking, then drain and place in a medium bowl. Set the liquid aside and let it cool.
- Measure 3 ounces / 90 ml of the shrimp cooking liquid and put it in the jar of an immersion blender or regular blender. Add the tomato, lime juice, 3/4 teaspoon salt and half the arbol chile, and blend till it’s very smooth. Taste it, adjust salt if necessary, and if you’d like it spicier, add the other half of the chile and blend again. Pour the sauce over so all the shrimp are submerged. Let the shrimp soak for 5 minutes, then add the cucumbers and onions and let soak another 5 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp, cucumbers and onions to a shallow serving bowl, and arrange them nicely. Pour the sauce over all, and serve immediately — with tostadas, if desired.