Scallop and Shrimp Aguachile

WHAT WE THINK

Aguachile is like ceviche’s cooler, edgier older brother. You know, the one with the tattoo who would buy ceviche and his friends booze? Anyway, this dish is citrusy, spicy, cool and refreshing, and is the perfect thing to make on a warm day where you don’t want to turn on the stove. Okay, now we’ll shut up. Let’s eat!

WHAT YOU NEED (SERVES 2, DO MATH IF YOU NEED MORE)

1/2 pound of raw shrimp (peeled, deveined, sliced through the middle length wise)

1/2 pound of raw scallops (sliced to be about the same width as the shrimp)

1 1/2 - 2 cups of fresh lime juice (at least 10-12 medium-size limes)

1/2 cup of cilantro (stems and leaves are cool)

1/2 cup of parsley (again, stems are cool)

1 clove of garlic

4 serrano peppers (if you have a baby mouth and need lower heat, use jalapenos instead)

1/4 of a medium red onion (sliced thin) 

1/2 of an English cucumber (sliced thin)

1 avocado (1/2 diced, 1/2 mashed)

salt

WHAT TO DO

PREP THE SEAFOOD

Take the shrimp and scallops  and put them in a flat casserole or serving dish so they are in one layer. Cover with 1-1 1/2 cups of your lime juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cover the dish with plastic wrap, refrigerate and leave them the hell alone for  30 minutes.

MAKE THE AGUACHILE

Toss your peppers, cilantro, parsley, garlic and remaining lime juice into a blender and, well…blend (duh). Salt to taste. Boom.

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER

After those 30 minutes are up, pull the tasty proteins out of the fridge. The shrimp should be pink and the scallops will be super tender.

Take the aguachile that ya blended up and add it to the bowl with the seafood, along with the red onion & English cucumber too (see, they were going to join the party eventually). Put it all back in the fridge for another 30. 

SERVE IT

Set your table (or don’t, we aren’t your mom and dad).

We like to eat this on tostadas. We make ours at home because we’re extra like that, but (Ina Garten voice) store bought is fine.

Spread your mashed avocado onto the tostada to help make sure it stays crispy and a stable aguachile delivery vessel. Spoon the aguachile mixture on top of the tostada. Use the diced avocado as an additional garnish, especially if you’re a filthy millennial. We also like to garnish with pickled peppers. A fresh pico would be legit too.

In a pinch, serving the aguachile in a bowl and using tortilla chips as a method to put it in your face works perfectly well too.

WHAT TO DRINK WITH IT

This is important. White wine is a great accompaniment to this dish. If you’re a beer drinker, a clean, crisp pilsner or salty, tart gose both make perfect pairings. And if cocktails are your game, a simple margarita does the trick.

Did you read this recipe and clutch your pearls at the idea of eating seafood not truly COOKED? Calm down. There’s an alternative method. Omit the scallops. Lightly poach the shrimp until they are cooked then shock them in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Once cold, proceed with the lime juice and refrigerate as outlined from the start.