墨西哥鲜虾杯（虾仁冷盘）
This is coctel de camarones the way Mexican mariscos stands serve it: plump poached shrimp, crunchy cucumber and onion, and creamy avocado swimming in a chilled, spicy-sweet tomato-lime broth you drink with a spoon. A gentle off-heat poach keeps the shrimp snappy instead of rubbery, and a short rest in the fridge lets the Clamato, ketchup, lime, and hot sauce meld into something far greater than the sum of its parts.
Poach 680 g (1 1/2 lb) peeled large shrimp off the heat in salted, lime-spiked water for 2-3 minutes until just pink, then shock in ice water and cut into bite-size pieces. Stir together 480 ml (2 cups) Clamato, 120 ml (1/2 cup) ketchup, 120 ml (1/2 cup) fresh lime juice, 60 ml (1/4 cup) orange juice, and 2 tablespoons Mexican hot sauce, then fold in the shrimp with diced tomato, cucumber, red onion, serrano, and cilantro. Chill 30 minutes, gently fold in diced avocado at the last moment, season with salt and more lime, and serve icy cold in glasses with saltines or tostadas.
- Kill the heat before the shrimp go in the pot — carryover poaching cooks them through while keeping them tender and snappy, never rubbery.
- Chill everything, including the serving glasses; this cocktail falls flat at room temperature and sings when it is ice cold.
- Fold in the avocado just before serving so the cubes stay green and intact instead of muddying the broth.
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- Slotted spoon or spider
- Large mixing bowl
- Colander
- Chef's knife and cutting board
- Citrus juicer
- Serving glasses or goblets
食材
Shrimp and poaching liquid
- 680 g large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed, 31/40 count; thawed if frozen
- 2 L water
- 15 g kosher salt, for the poaching water
- lime, halved, squeezed into the pot, halves dropped in
Cocktail base
- 480 ml tomato-clam juice (such as Clamato), chilled; see FAQ for substitutes
- 120 ml ketchup
- 120 ml fresh lime juice, from about 4 limes
- 60 ml fresh orange juice, optional, for classic mariscos-stand sweetness
- 30 ml Mexican bottled hot sauce (Valentina or Cholula), plus more to taste
- 3 g fine sea salt, plus more to taste
Vegetables and garnish
- Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
- cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced, medium
- 75 g red onion, finely diced, rinsed briefly if you want it milder
- serrano or jalapeño chile, minced, seeded for less heat
- 20 g fresh cilantro, chopped, leaves and tender stems
- ripe avocados, diced just before serving
步骤
- 步骤01
Fill a large saucepan with the water, add the kosher salt, squeeze in the lime and drop in the spent halves. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. While it heats, fill a large bowl with ice and cold water for shocking the shrimp.
- 步骤02
When the water boils, turn off the heat, add the shrimp, and stir once. Let them sit in the hot water for 2 to 3 minutes, just until they curl loosely and turn pink and opaque. Pull one out and check the thickest part — it should be barely cooked through.
- 步骤03
Transfer the shrimp with a slotted spoon straight into the ice bath and chill for 5 minutes to stop the cooking. Drain well, pat dry, and cut each shrimp into 2 or 3 bite-size pieces, leaving a few whole for the tops of the glasses if you like.
- 步骤04
In a large bowl, whisk together the Clamato, ketchup, lime juice, orange juice, hot sauce, and fine sea salt until smooth. Taste it — it should be bright, a little sweet, and noticeably spicy, since the shrimp and vegetables will dilute it.
- 步骤05
Add the cut shrimp, diced tomato, cucumber, red onion, minced chile, and most of the cilantro to the base. Fold gently until everything is coated and evenly distributed.
- 步骤06
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 4 hours) so the flavors meld and the cocktail gets properly cold. Chill your serving glasses too.
- 步骤07
Just before serving, dice the avocados and fold them in gently so the cubes stay intact. Taste and adjust with more lime, hot sauce, or salt. Spoon into chilled glasses, making sure everyone gets plenty of the broth, and top with the reserved shrimp and cilantro. Serve with saltines or tostadas and extra hot sauce.
Make ahead
You can poach and cut the shrimp and mix the cocktail base with the tomato, cucumber, onion, and chile up to 1 day ahead; keep it covered in the fridge. Stir in the cilantro and avocado just before serving and re-season with lime and salt, since chilling mutes both.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days; the lime will slowly firm the shrimp and soften the vegetables, so it is best within 24 hours. If you know you will have leftovers, hold the avocado back and add it fresh to each serving. Do not freeze — the vegetables and avocado turn watery and mushy on thawing.
Variations
Campechana style
Turn it into a mixed seafood cocktail by swapping a third of the shrimp for chopped cooked octopus, bay scallops, or freshly shucked oysters with their liquor. A spoonful of the oyster liquor in the base deepens the briny flavor.
Extra-hot aguachile lean
Blend 2 serranos with the lime juice before whisking it into the base and add the shrimp while still slightly warm so they drink in the chile-lime heat. Finish with thin rings of raw serrano on top.
Vegan hearts of palm cocktail
Replace the shrimp with two 400 g (14 oz) cans of hearts of palm, drained and sliced into coins, and use a spicy tomato juice instead of Clamato. The texture is remarkably shrimp-like, and the dish becomes vegan and shellfish-free.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
常见问题
What makes a mexican shrimp cocktail different from an American shrimp cocktail?
An American shrimp cocktail is whole chilled shrimp hung on a glass with a thick horseradish-ketchup dip. A mexican shrimp cocktail (coctel de camarones) is more like a chilled soup: the shrimp are cut up and served swimming in a drinkable tomato-lime broth with cucumber, onion, chile, cilantro, and avocado, eaten with a spoon and crackers rather than dipped.
Can I use precooked shrimp instead of poaching my own?
Yes — thaw 570 g (1 1/4 lb) of cooked, peeled shrimp under cold water, pat dry, cut into bite-size pieces, and fold them straight into the base. Poaching your own gives noticeably better texture and seasoning, but precooked shrimp make this a true 15-minute no-cook appetizer.
What can I substitute for Clamato?
Use 480 ml (2 cups) of good tomato juice or spicy vegetable juice plus an extra 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a dash more hot sauce. Clamato brings a briny, savory depth from clam broth, so if you skip it, a teaspoon of the poaching liquid or a small splash of oyster liquor can restore some of that ocean flavor; plain tomato juice also keeps the dish shellfish-free apart from the shrimp.
How spicy is this, and how do I adjust the heat?
As written it has a friendly medium heat from one serrano and two tablespoons of Valentina. For a milder cocktail, seed the chile or leave it out and cut the hot sauce to one tablespoon; for more fire, add a second serrano with its seeds. Mexican bottled hot sauces are more tangy than scorching, so they add flavor before they add pain.
How far ahead can I make mexican shrimp cocktail for a party?
Everything except the avocado and cilantro can be mixed up to a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge — the flavor actually improves after a few hours. Fold in the avocado and cilantro within 30 minutes of serving, then brighten it with a fresh squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt, since cold dulls seasoning.
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