Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Fresh shrimp, tomato juice, cucumber, jalapeños & avocado are combined with seasonings to deliver a refreshing and exciting appetizer. The perfect starter for a summer gathering.
Servings: 10 people
Ingredients
For the Shrimp
- 2 pounds medium size shrimp (Approx 31-35 per pound) deveined, tail shells removed. (Thawed if frozen) (+ extras if you want to garnish each serving with extra poached shrimp)
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
For the Cocktail Mixture
- 2 cup Chilled Tomato Juice (Sacramento brand if you can find it)
- 1 cup Chilled Clamato Juice
- 1 cup Ketchup
- .5 cup Freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp Hot Sauce (Not Tabasco-Frank's hot sauce recommended.)
- 2 cups English cucumber- seeded, 1/8-1/4 inch dice
- 4 tbsp jalapeños - seeded and finely diced
- 1 cup red onion - finely diced
- 2-3 medium avocados - halved, pitted, and cut into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces right before mixing in.
- 4 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
Prepare the Shrimp
- Fill large bowl halfway with ice and water. Set aside.
- In a medium pot, combine the salt, sugar, and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Add the shrimp to the boiling water mixture and poach for about 2 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and opaque. (Note: The water will not fully return to a boil once you add the shrimp.) If you are nervous about the shrimp not being cooked, pull one and slice to make sure they are cooked through.
- Transfer shrimp to ice bath and let cool for 3 to 5 minutes. Once cool, pay dry and cut each shrimp into 2-3 bite size pieces per shrimp, depending on size.
- **If garnishing with one shrimp per serving, be sure to set these shrimp aside!
Assemble the Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
- In a large mixing bowl, combine tomato juice, clamato juice, ketchup, lime juice, worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Mix well. Add the cooked, chopped shrimp, cucumber, jalapeño & red onion and gently stir until evenly coated.
- Cover and chill in the fridge for at least one hour and up to 24 hours. Taste for seasoning once all the flavors have married. Add salt, pepper hot sauce, and/or lime juice to taste.
- Right before serving, gently fold in the avocado and cilantro.
- To serve, portion into individual cups, and optionally garnish with one cooked shrimp. Serve with a bowl of lime wedges, chips and extra hot sauce on the side.