mango serrano shrimp ceviche

Mango tango-ing into Wednesday with a fresh as fuq appetizer.

I’m quite honestly nodding off at my computer and really tempted to stop in the midst of this sentence to go hunt down some coffee, but I’m not sure I have it in me to brave this horrid afternoon again. We had some rain earlier and now the sun is on full throttle, so the humidity is total bullhanky, spitting off the sidewalks like invisible fog. And I’m a lazyass and don’t really want to brew a new pot. Basically, what I’m saying is I’m screwed.

Oh well. More tired me, less you have to deal with my mumbo jumbo.

Ceviche is an appetizer J and I usually get when we’re out for dinner at a place that serves it. Traditional ceviche involves fish or shellfish “cooked” by a citrusy marinade, usually accompanied by fresh herbs, chopped fruit like tomatoes or mango, and sometimes a slap of spice with some kind of pepper. Usually served with chips, or a restaurant we frequent offers habanero popcorn alongside. I prefer a proper dipper, though.

While this particular ceviche “cheats” a little by pre-cooking the shrimp, it maintains the freshness and spunk which characterizes the popular snack. Summery, light, and crowd-friendly, a great meld of sweet and salty and even a little boozy thanks to a splash of tequila in the marinade. Definite repeat of mine through the season.

Reach for the Cevich’

All you need to cook is the shrimp in this recipe. The rest is choppage.

Make sure your shrimps are peeled and deveined, with the tails removed. The latter part can be done after the shrimp cooks, so no sweat if you miss a few tails in your adventures. Also, you can boil the shrimp from frozen if you want. It may need an extra minute or two since the icy coating will cool down your boiling water significantly.

Cook the shrimp until opaque and firm. Drain and rinse under cool water to stop the shrimp from cooking further, else you’ll have some serious rubber on your hands. Set the shrimp aside while you prep the rest of the ceviche.

Choppy Surf

While the shrimp comes down to room temp, prep the rest of the components. We’re talking lots of slicing and dicing, but put on a good tune and the process will go quickly.

Get a large bowl and throw in some avocado, mangos, cucumbers, and serrano peppers. Even though it’s stated in the name, the serranos aren’t totally required. You can sub them out for a less hot pepper like jalapeno, or omit them altogether. I just like the spiciness alongside the creamy mango and avocado.

For the herbs, we’ve got cilantro, mint, and basil. I go heavy on the herbs but you can cut them down to your liking. Then, a couple cloves of garlic, too. I prefer to grate it so the pieces incorporate better.

The marinade: lime juice, orange juice, and tequila. The tequila is optional, but I love adding it into festive salsa-like shit.

Toss in your shrimp and mix everything up until evenly incorporated. Add some dashes of salt and pepper as you go and taste the wares for any additional seasoning you might need.

Now, you can either serve the ceviche at room temp, or, as I prefer, pop it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (preferably closer to 60). The extra time helps the flavors come together.

When you’re ready to serve, dish out a big bowl of tortilla chips and go to town. Make sure you bought an extra bag for yourself because I’m sure those cronchy carbs won’t last long.

This guy is swell for last-minute entertaining needs or a casual weekend sitting on the couch watching movies and avoiding the sun. Which is exactly how J and I enjoyed a bowl last weekend.

Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!

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