Scallop & Shrimp Aguachile

It generally comprises raw seafood, frequently shrimp, cured in lime juice and subsequently immersed in a broth composed of the marinating liquid, soy sauce or Maggi flavor, jalapeños, Serranos, cilantro, and garlic.

Photo by Elvin Abril

SERVES 4

Ingredients

For the seafood:

• ½ pound scallops, thinly sliced

• ½ pound wild Argentinian red shrimp or large shrimp; peeled, deveined, and halved lengthwise

• 1 cup fresh lime juice (from about 6 limes)

• Diamond Crystal kosher salt to taste

  
  

For the garnish:

• ½ red onion, thinly sliced

• 1 radish, thinly sliced

• 2 cup ice water, for soaking onion and radish

• ½ jalapeño, thinly sliced

• ½ cucumber, thinly sliced

• 1 Hass avocado, thinly sliced

• extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

  
  

For the marinade:

• 1 cup lime juice, reserved from "cooking" the seafood

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce or coconut aminos or Maggi seasoning sauce

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves and stems

• 1 jalapeño

• 1 serrano

• Diamond Crystal kosher salt, to taste

  
  

For serving:

• ½ lime, zest and juice

• extra virgin olive oil

• flaky salt (such as Maldon)

• tostadas and/or saltine crackers, on the side

Instructions

• Prepare the seafood. Halve the scallops and shrimp lengthwise, then divide each scallop half into two pieces, yielding quarters. Combine seafood in a non-reactive bowl with lime juice and salt, ensuring the seafood is fully submerged. Allow to rest for thirty minutes, stirring once at the midpoint.

• Prepare the garnish: Finely chop the red onion and radish, then immerse them in a bowl of ice water. This mitigates the intense pungency of raw onions and assists in maintaining the crispness of both the onions and radishes. Finely slice the cucumber and avocado, then put aside with a squeeze of lime and a dash of salt.

• Prepare the marinade: After thirty minutes, remove the lime juice from the scallops and shrimp, then combine it in a blender with the soy sauce, garlic, cilantro, jalapeño, serrano, and a bit of salt. Combine until homogeneous.

• To assemble: Reintroduce the aguachile broth into the bowl containing the fish and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate the marinade for 30 minutes. Transfer to a high-sided serving dish to retain the liquid, or to a conventional molcajete. Garnish with chopped red onion, radishes, cucumber, avocado, and jalapeño. Garnish with fresh cilantro, lime zest and juice, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and a sprinkle of flaky salt. Serve promptly with tostadas, tortilla chips, or saltine crackers. Aguachile must be served within two hours of preparation; else, the fish would get mushy with prolonged exposure.