Aguachile

Ingredients

• ¾ lb fresh large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 whole serrano peppers
• 2 whole jalapeño peppers
• ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
• ½ cup fresh lime juice
• ¼ cup ice-cold water
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ whole cucumber, English hothouse
• 4 whole radishes
• ¼ whole white onion
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro sprigs
• 2 whole lime wedges
• 1 handful crispy tortilla chips

Instructions

1. 1

   Stem 3 serrano peppers and 2 jalapeño peppers, then roughly chop them — leave the seeds in for maximum heat and flavor. Pull off about 0.5 cup of fresh cilantro leaves from their stems.

2. 2

   Place the chopped serranos, jalapeños, and cilantro leaves into a blender with 0.5 cup of fresh lime juice, 0.25 cup of ice-cold water, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Blend on high speed until completely smooth and bright green, about 1 minute — you should have a liquid with no visible pepper or herb chunks.

3. 3

   Strain the marinade through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl, pressing gently on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract all the liquid. Discard the pulp. Stir in 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and taste — it should taste intensely spicy, bright, and salty.

4. 4

   Pat 0.75 lb of fresh large shrimp completely dry with paper towels — dry shrimp will take on the marinade more evenly. Slice each shrimp in half lengthwise, stopping just short of cutting all the way through so the two halves stay connected at the back — they should open like a butterfly.

5. 5

   Place the butterflied shrimp in a medium bowl and pour the entire aguachile marinade over them. Stir gently with a spoon to coat all the shrimp evenly. The lime juice and acid will begin curing the shrimp immediately, turning the flesh opaque. Let sit at room temperature for 8-10 minutes, stirring once halfway through — you want the shrimp to turn opaque throughout but remain tender, not rubbery.

6. 6

   While the shrimp cures, prepare the accompaniments: slice the English hothouse cucumber on a slight bias into thin 1/8-inch-thick rounds; thinly slice the radishes into paper-thin rounds using a mandoline or sharp knife; slice 0.25 of a white onion into paper-thin half-moons.

7. 7

   Divide the cured shrimp and all of the aguachile liquid between two chilled bowls — serve in shallow wide bowls so the shrimp and liquid are visible and can be easily spooned. Arrange the cucumber slices, radish slices, and white onion around the shrimp, allowing some to float in the liquid and some to sit on the rim.

8. 8

   Garnish each bowl with about 1.5 tablespoons of fresh cilantro sprigs scattered over the top. Serve immediately alongside lime wedges and crispy tortilla chips on the side for scooping. Instruct diners to squeeze extra lime over their bowl if they'd like additional brightness and sip the aguachile broth as you would an oyster — it's the best part.

Tools you’ll need

• blender
• fine-mesh strainer
• medium bowl
• spoon
• paper towels
• sharp knife
• mandoline (optional)
• two chilled bowls
• cutting board

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