Mexican Shrimp Cocktail, known in Spanish as Cóctel de Camarones, is a refreshing, chilled seafood dish that is fundamentally different from the “shrimp and dip” style common in the United States. Instead of being served on a platter with dipping sauce, the shrimp are immersed in a loose, zesty tomato-based broth along with crunchy vegetables and creamy avocado, making it more akin to a chunky cold soup or a seafood gazpacho.

The dish is most strongly associated with Mexico’s Pacific coast, particularly the states of Sinaloa and Sonora. These regions have a rich history of artisanal shrimp harvesting and are considered the “birthplace” of this specific preparation style.

Servings: 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

1 pound medium shrimp, raw or cooked
Kosher salt
1 cup chopped red onion
1 cup peeled, diced cucumber
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 jalapeñ o, minced
1 ( 15- ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped OR 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 to 4 tablespoons hot sauce, such Crystal or Tabasco, to taste
1 avocado, cut into chunks

STEPS

Peel, devein, and cook the raw shrimp (if using):

1) If you have pre-cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp you can skip to the next step. If you are working with raw shrimp, peel and devein them .

2) If you have a little extra time and want your shrimp to be extra good, put the shells in 6 cups of cool salted water, bring to a boil, then strain the shell stock into a separate pot and cook the shrimp in that liquid.

3) If you want to skip that step, just bring a medium pot salted water to a boil (a Tbsp salt for 2 quarts of water), add the shrimp, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until just cooked through. Reserve a cup of the cooking water and chill it.

Cut half of the cooked shrimp into chunks:

1) Cut half of the shrimp into large chunks, leaving the other half whole (for a more attractive presentation).

Toss the shrimp with other ingredients, chill:

1) Put the chopped shrimp in a bowl with the chopped onions, cucumber, celery, jalapeño, tomatoes, ketchup, cilantro, lime juice, and hot sauce. Gently stir to combine. Chill.

Add some cooled shrimp cooking water:

1) Once the cooking water has cooled at least to room temperature, add a little at a time to the shrimp cocktail, until the shrimp cocktail is the consistency you want (use clam stock or lightly salted water—a third of a teaspoon of salt dissolved into a cup of water—if you are starting with already cooked and peeled shrimp).

Stir in the salt, hot sauce, avocado:

1) To serve, add salt and more hot sauce to taste and gently mix in the chopped avocados. Dip the whole shrimp in the cocktail and arrange them on top.

2) Serve in parfait glasses or in small bowls with tortilla chips on the side.