Ceviche is a delicious and light dish that originates in Mexico and operates best with fresh seafood and vegetables that add a light and effervescent feel to the dish. Ceviches are typically served cold and often with uncooked foods which adds to both the overall health of the dish as well as the lightness of it. Generally, seafood is used in a ceviche and lime or lemon juice is added to the dish to reduce the number of bacteria and as a way of cooking the seafood without actually cooking it.
There are many different options when selecting seafood for a ceviche, but this article will concentrate on shrimp ceviche. Be sure to use fresh shrimps that are not left out in a non-refrigerated setting. The talent for making dishes like ceviche delicious often comes down to sourcing the freshest ingredients possible. Most ceviche dishes will use raw seafood in the dish but when using shrimp most people prefer to cook the shrimp first. The most common way to cook shrimp for a ceviche is lightly poaching it in some water and then throwing it quickly into an ice bath to stop the cooking process and chill it to the same temperature as the other ingredients.
Once the shrimp is cooled you can mix it with the other vegetable ingredients. Peel the head and shell off the shrimp and remove the blue vein in the back by slicing it out. Then get rid of the tail preserving as much of the shrimp meat as possible. Dice the shrimp into small pieces but not too small. Make sure that all of your vegetables have and seafood have similar sizes and generally most people select a quarter of an inch as the ideal size for ceviche. Commonly people use diced onions and bell peppers, celery, and even tomatoes. Then olive oil is mixed in until all ingredients are coated. Salt and pepper are added to taste. Fresh raw cilantro is diced and added to the dish. Finally, lime or lemon juice is added in. Make sure all ingredients are evenly coated with the mixture.
Then chill the ingredients in a refrigerator until cool to the touch. Presentation of shrimp ceviche is just as important as the actual dish and many elegant presentations can be made simply and easily. The most common choice is that of a wine or margarita glass. Simply fill the glass with the ceviche mixture, top with a slice of lime or lemon, and provide a small fork or spoon so party attendees can easily eat. Other presentations also work but are sure to have individual vessels for each shrimp ceviche dish. Raw or lightly cooked seafood is best served in an individual way.
Shrimp ceviche is an easy and exciting dish to make and can look very elegant at a party. Serve as an appetizer but be sure to put the cups on ice to protect the seafood from spoiling, particularly if guests will be trickling in at their own pace. You will be surprised how this dish can cause a Clash Royale in the party due to its popularity!