Shrimp Aguachile Tostadas
Last August, I made these after coming home from the farmers market with a bag of limes, a cool cucumber, and no patience for turning on the stove. The shrimp cured in the bright lime mixture while I…
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw peeled and deveined shrimp, thawed and previously frozen
- 1 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 each serrano chiles, stemmed
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cups English cucumber, thinly sliced into half-moons
- 1 each ripe avocado, sliced
- 12 each crisp corn tostadas
- 1 teaspoons fine sea salt
Instructions
- Place the shrimp, lime juice, serrano chiles, cilantro, red onion, cucumber, avocado, and tostadas in the refrigerator while you organize your workspace. Set a large shallow glass or stainless-steel dish, a blender, a sharp knife, and a small bowl on the counter. Keep the shrimp cold until the moment you begin, because a chilled cure gives a cleaner texture and is safer for a no-heat preparation.
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels, then slice each shrimp lengthwise almost all the way through so it opens like a butterfly. If the shrimp are large, cut each butterfly into two bite-size pieces; the smaller pieces cure evenly and sit neatly on the tostadas. Discard any dark vein or shell fragment you find.
- Pour 3/4 cup of the lime juice into a blender and add the two serrano chiles, half of the cilantro, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Blend on medium speed for 20 to 30 seconds until the mixture is bright green and mostly smooth, stopping once to scrape down the sides. The liquid should smell sharply citrusy and herbal; blend longer for a smoother sauce or leave it slightly textured for more chile character.
- Put the sliced red onion in a small bowl of very cold water for 5 minutes, then drain it thoroughly and pat it dry. This quick soak softens the onion's raw bite without removing its crunch, and drying it prevents excess water from thinning the lime mixture.
- Arrange the butterflied shrimp in a single layer in the shallow dish, with no pieces stacked on top of one another. Pour the blended lime mixture over them and gently turn each piece with clean tongs so every surface is coated. Let the shrimp stand at refrigerator temperature for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once at the 5-minute mark; the flesh should change from translucent gray to opaque white with a firm, springy feel while the centers remain moist.
- Add the drained red onion and cucumber to the cured shrimp, along with the remaining 1/4 cup lime juice, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining cilantro. Fold with a rubber spatula or wide spoon rather than stirring vigorously, which can break the shrimp and bruise the cucumber. Taste a spoonful of the liquid and adjust with a pinch more salt if the lime tastes harsh; salt should round the acidity, not make the mixture taste salty.
- Allow the combined aguachile to rest in the refrigerator for 2 minutes while you slice the avocado. The brief rest lets the onion and cucumber take on the chile-lime seasoning, but do not leave the shrimp in the acid for more than 20 minutes total, or the texture will become chalky and overly firm.
- Arrange the 12 tostadas on a large platter just before serving so they stay crisp. Spoon a small amount of the lime mixture onto each tostada first, then divide the shrimp, cucumber, and onion evenly among them, using about three tostadas per person. Drain off excess liquid as you lift each portion; too much liquid will soften the corn shell before the first bite.
- Finish each tostada with one or two avocado slices and a few cilantro leaves from the bowl. Serve immediately while the shells still crackle and the shrimp are cool, with any remaining aguachile liquid spooned lightly over the top rather than poured all at once.
- Keep the assembled tostadas and any leftover shrimp mixture refrigerated at or below 40°F, and do not leave them at room temperature for more than 1 hour on a hot summer day. For the best texture, assemble only what will be eaten right away; the cured shrimp mixture is best enjoyed the same day.
Watch the Shrimp Aguachile Tostadas cooking video
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