Shrimp Verde Cocktail
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 2 to 4 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 166
- Total Fat
- 7
- Saturated Fat
- 1
- Carbohydrates
- 21
- Dietary Fiber
- 4
- Sugar
- 2
- Protein
- 8
- Cholesterol
- 46
- Sodium
- 168
- Total: 3 hr 25 min (includes chilling time)
- Active: 25 min
Ingredients
4 ounces small shrimp, peeled and deveined (or frozen small cleaned shrimp, defrosted)
1/4 cup lime juice plus 1/2 lime
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 dashes salt
2 to 3 dashes freshly ground black pepper
1/2 ripe avocado
1/3 medium cucumber
1/4 cup chopped red onions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped (see Cook's Note)
Tortilla chips, homemade or store-bought, for serving, recipe follows
Lime wedges, for garnish (see Cook's Note)
Hot sauce, such as Tapatio or Tabasco, for serving, optional
Homemade Tortilla Chips:
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Five 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into 8 triangles each
Seasoning salt, for sprinkling
Directions
- Cut the shrimp in halves or thirds.
- Set a medium saute pan over medium to high heat and put in the lime juice. Heat for 1 minute. Add in the minced garlic and a dash of salt and pepper. Add in the shrimp and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Cook until the shrimp are no longer translucent and have turned a very faint pink/white color, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Put the shrimp in a small bowl with a couple of ice cubes. When the ice has melted, drain the shrimp and place back in the bowl. Put in the refrigerator to chill for 2 to 3 hours. (Alternatively, if you are in a hurry, put the shrimp in a small bowl, cover completely with ice cubes and add 1/2 cup water. Let the shrimp sit in the ice bath while you prep the rest of the recipe.)
- Chop the avocado and cucumber the same size as the shrimp for consistency and presentation.
- In a medium bowl, add the avocados, cucumbers, red onions, cilantro and serranos. Add the chilled shrimp and gently fold (stir) together the ingredients. Squeeze over the juice of 1/2 lime and add a dash of salt and 2 dashes pepper.
- Serve in chilled cocktail glasses, like martini glasses, or in wide-rim 8- to 9-ounce glasses or small glass/ceramic bowls. Place each glass on a nice plate, then arrange some tortilla chips around the glass. Garnish with a fresh lime wedge. Some people like to dash hot sauce over their shrimp as well. We like Tapatio or Tabasco.
Homemade Tortilla Chips:
- Fill a medium stockpot halfway with vegetable oil and heat over high heat until a drop of water added to the oil crackles and hisses back at you. Carefully add the tortilla chips in batches with tongs and fry until a golden color, 2 to 3 minutes. Use the tongs to transfer the chips to a large bowl. Sprinkle a few dashes of seasoning salt over the chips and toss (with tongs) while still hot.
Cook’s Note
Be careful with the serrano chiles: you want a little heat and sizzle but not for it to take over the dish. Use latex gloves when handling them. Do not rub your eyes or touch your face with hands that have handled chile peppers. It will burn and be unpleasant for the next 30 minutes. Try to use a dark green lime to garnish. Yellow limes with brown spots will kill your presentation. This dish can also be made very easily into larger serving portions. Just remember to keep the balance and ratio of shrimp to vegetables.