"Ceviche" Express

Ceviche Express

Serves 1-2

3 T. lime juice

5 drops fish sauce

1-2 T. diced red onion

1/4 jalepeno, diced

1 t. minced fresh garlic

1-2 t. hot pepper paste, to taste

2 T. fresh chopped cilantro

12 jumbo shrimp, cooked

Optional ingredients:

3-4 pieces mandarin orange, chopped

Tomato slice, diced

1/4 avocado, diced 

Combine all marinade ingredients.  Mix well.  Let marinade stand for 1 or more hours to meld flavors.  

About 30-60 minutes before serving, add shrimp (and optional ingredients, if using) to marinade.  Stir or shake a few times to ensure shrimp is marinating evenly.   I like to eat this plain as a low(ish) carb main dish, or throw it on top of some greens for a salad, if you wish.  (The marinade and shrimp without optional ingredients: 144 calories...13 carbs...6 from the hot pepper paste, so eliminate that for the lowest carb version.)

If you don't need to watch your carb intake, this is great as an appetizer served with tortilla, plantain, sweet potato, or salt & pepper chips.  The optional ingredients all increase the carb count as well, so keep that in mind.  

This has a wonderfully bright, happy flavor that pairs well with a glass of ice cold Gewürztraminer.

NOTE: I have let the shrimp marinate as long as 2-3 hours, but be careful!  If you put the shrimp in the marinade too early, the acid in the lime juice "cooks" the shrimp further and it will become rubbery.  If you have access to VERY FRESH raw seafood, place it in the marinade 5-8 hours, until the seafood is opaque, and you will have a *more* authentic ceviche.