WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Tomatillos do double-duty in this ceviche: Pureed, they help to marinate the shrimp; and diced, they provide citrusy-tart flavor and crunchy texture to the finished dish. Because shrimp “cook” much more slowly in acid as compared with fish and scallops, we first poached our shrimp in seasoned water and then cut them into bite-size pieces. To create a flavorful yet balanced marinade for our ceviche, we made what’s known as a leche de tigre by blending lime juice, tomatillos, jalapeño, garlic, and extra-virgin olive oil along with a small amount of shrimp. Once strained, the liquid was an intensely flavorful and silky- textured emulsion. We marinated the poached shrimp in the leche for just 30 minutes to allow the flavors to penetrate and the shrimp to firm slightly. To complete the dish, we added diced tomatillos, crunchy jícama, Vidalia onion, creamy avocado, and chopped cilantro. We served the ceviche with corn nuts and popcorn, which provided salty crunch. Shrimp of other sizes may be used in this recipe; just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly. If Vidalia onions are unavailable, substitute another sweet onion or ¼ cup chopped red onion. Serving the corn nuts and popcorn separately allows diners to customize their ceviche to suit their taste.
SERVES: 4 to 6 as a main dish or 6 to 8 as an appetizer
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound large shrimp (26–30 per pound), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
- 5 sprigs fresh cilantro, plus ¼ cup coarsely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled
- Salt and pepper
- 12 ounces tomatillos, husks and stems removed, rinsed well and dried
- ½ cup lime juice (4 limes)
- 1 jalapeño chile, stemmed and seeded
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces jícama, peeled and cut into ¼-inch pieces (1 cup)
- ½ cup chopped Vidalia or Walla Walla onion
- 1 avocado, halved, pitted, and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 cup corn nuts
- 1 cup lightly salted popcorn
INSTRUCTIONS:
- BOIL THE SHRIMP: Bring 2 cups water, cilantro sprigs, 2 garlic cloves, and ½ teaspoon salt to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add shrimp, cover, and let sit off heat, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are just opaque, 1 to 2 minutes.
- COOL AND DRY THE SHRIMP: Meanwhile, fill a large bowl halfway with ice and water. Drain shrimp well, transfer to ice water, and let sit until just cool, about 2 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a triple layer of paper towels and dry well. Cut shrimp in half lengthwise and then cut each half into ½-inch pieces. Transfer ⅓ cup shrimp pieces to a blender jar. Refrigerate remaining shrimp.
- MAKE THE SAUCE: Cut 8 ounces tomatillos into ¼-inch pieces and set aside. Cut remaining tomatillos into quarters and add to blender jar with shrimp. Add lime juice, jalapeño, 2 tablespoons oil, remaining 2 garlic cloves, and 1 teaspoon salt and process until mixture is smooth, 30 to 60 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed. Strain liquid through fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. (Sauce can be made up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated. It will separate slightly; whisk to recombine before proceeding with the recipe.)
- MIX THE CEVICHE: Add chopped shrimp, reserved diced tomatillo, and jícama to the bowl with the sauce and toss to combine. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- ADD ONION AND CILANTRO: Add onion and chopped cilantro to the bowl with the ceviche and toss to combine.
- SERVE: Portion ceviche into individual bowls, garnish with avocado, and drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Serve, passing corn nuts and popcorn separately.
