Super Easy Worry-Free Shrimp Ceviche
This is my favorite thing I’ve made in a while! Five minutes of prep and then throw it in the fridge. I didn’t even defrost the shrimp first. I figured that while the shrimp thawed, they might as well already start their soak in the marinade. Everything was still very nice and chilly but totally thawed by dinnertime 6 hours later.
So the whole concept of cooking raw fish with the acid from citrus fruit is amazing. But there’s still a risk of bacteria from raw fish. My recipe uses the flavor and methods of ceviche but starts out with cooked shrimp, cutting the risk of bacteria from raw fish and all the worry that goes along with it.
1 lb. frozen cooked bay shrimp (about 4 cups)
1 C. pico de gallo-style salsa
½ C. lime juice (fresh or bottled)
½ English cucumber (the long, thin one that you don’t have to peel), diced
That’s it! So easy! Dice the cucumber and add everything else. (To my sister Marjorie, who won’t eat onions: try using Ro-Tel instead of salsa. It comes in a can and has tomatoes and jalapenos with no onions.) Toss it together in a gallon-sized ziplock bag. Season with salt and lots of freshly ground pepper.
A lot of ceviche recipes call for multiple cups of lemon or lime juice to completely cover the fish, but if you put it in a bag, you can get away with using a smaller amount because the bag forces it all together. As you seal the bag, squeeze all of the air out.
Put it in the refrigerator and (if you’re home) go back two or three times throughout the day to turn the bag over, just to ensure total coverage. If you make this before you leave for the day, don’t worry about turning the bag; but be careful…after about 8 hours, the shrimp will begin to toughen a bit. So I would let this sit for at least a few hours to really soak up all the flavors but not more than eight. I like to eat it as-is with a spoon. Makes a light dinner or a heavy appetizer. You can serve it with a sturdy tortilla chip, or even in a taco with lettuce and queso fresco. Serves four.
If you like shrimp and you like tart, citrusy flavors, you'll love this.