Ceviche de Camaron is a Salvadoran national favorite dish. Especially satisfying on a hot day, this is a cold salad of raw shrimp “cooked” by steaming and then marinating in citrus juices. Trust me, Ceviche de Camaron is absolutely delightful!
(Photo Attributed to Author: Jules Morgan)
Ceviche de Camaron Recipe-
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. peeled and deveined small shrimp
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 1/2 medium-sized (or 1 very small) white onion, peeled and rough chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped fine, plus several sprigs (for garnish)
- 1 tsp. cilantro paste
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp. Mexican bottled vinegary hot sauce (a must-have ingredient! Suggest Búfalo (slightly sweeter), or Valentina or Tamazula (both of which are more tangy))
- 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup peeled and diced small jícama (you can substitute cucumber, but for truly authentic Salvadoran flavor, you need jícama)
- 1 small ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and diced into small cubes
- salt, to taste
- lime slices for garnish
- Tostadas or tortilla chips, for serving
Directions:
Note: Ceviche will taste the best when prepared early in the same day when it will be served. Just a few hours before serving is when you can add the flavorings to the shrimp.
For “Cooking” (Marinating) the Shrimp-
- In a large cooking pot, bring 1 quart of salted water to a boil, then and add 2 tablespoons of lime juice and stir in the cilantro paste.
- Lower the shrimp into the pot, place the lid on, and return the water to a boil. As soon as a boil is achieved, take the pot off of the burner, tilt the lid ajar, and pour out all the liquid. Replace the lid tightly, and allow the shrimp to steam in the remaining heat for 9-10 minutes.
- Spread the shrimp out to dry on a stainless steel tray and allow to completely cool down.
- Toss the shrimp with the remaining 1/2 cup of lime juice in a mixing bowl, cover the bowl and chill it in the fridge for at least one full hour.
For the flavorings-
- rinse the onion under cold water
- rinse the onion under cold water
- Rinse the chopped onion under cold pouring water over a strainer, and then shake off any excess liquid. Add the onions into the shrimp bowl along with the ketchup, Mexican hot sauce, fresh cilantro, olive oil, cucumber, avocado and jícama. Do a taste test, and, if desired, add salt to your tastes. I like about 1/2 to 1/3 teaspoon of salt. Mix and stir everything together thoroughly.
- If you are not serving right away, cover the bowl and return it to the fridge.
To Serve Your Ceviche de Camaron-
- Ladle the ceviche into small serving bowls; garnish with slices of lime and a few sprigs of cilantro. Serve with tostadas and/or tortilla chips as accompaniment.