Tropical Ceviche
Recipe Courtesy of April Stamm
1lb shrimp (Large,16/20)
1 lime, cut in half, not juiced
kosher salt
3/4 cup jicama, 1/3 inch dice
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup pineapple, 1/4 inch dice
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon jalapeño, ribs and seeds removed, very finely chopped
2 avocados, 1/4 inch dice
For Serving: Extra jicama thinly sliced into planks or tortilla chips
Peel and devein shrimp and rinse the shells and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to boil with 1 lime cut in half and squeezed into the water (put the squeezed rind into the water as well), 2 Tablespoons salt, and the reserved shrimp shells. Reduce the water to a slow simmer and add the shrimp. Poach for 40 seconds (do not overcook) and remove them to a bowl full of ice water to stop the cooking immediately. Drain the shrimp and cut each shrimp in 4 pieces. The shrimp should look underdone at this point in the middle, as they will finish “cooking” in the citrus juices. Put the shrimp in a non-reactive (not aluminum or copper) bowl with the lemon and lime juice, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, add 2 teaspoons of salt and all of the rest of the ingredients except the avocado. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. Just before serving, gently fold the avocado into the mixture.
* The citrus juice in ceviche denatures the proteins or “cooks” them in fruit acid without the use of heat. When making ceviche with less dense seafood like bay scallops or white fish (red snapper, Chilean sea bass, halibut, etc.) there is no need to pre-poach the seafood; cut in small pieces the seafood will “cook” thoroughly in the citrus juice. Shrimp, however, is dense, and it is wise to pre-poach it briefly before it marinates.
