After our Aida Mollenkamp came back from her recent trip to Rancho Pescadero, she kept talking about this watermelon shrimp ceviche. The area where Rancho Pescadero is located has some seriously fresh seafood and head Chef Pita takes advantage of it with recipes like this. Just FYI the food scene in Baja California is totally distinct from the rest of the country — usually with some combination of Mediterranean influences, local ingredients, and a good amount of soy sauce — and it means that anything goes so long as it's creative and delicious. This watermelon shrimp ceviche has all the hallmarks of Baja cuisine but with the unexpected heat from not one but two chiles, a little coconut water for sweetness, and tons of fresh herbs and is our favorite cocktail hour appetizer to serve whenever we find good watermelon!
peeled and small dice
peeled and small dice
peeled and thinly sliced
end trimmed and thinly sliced
small dice
peeled and grated
for garnish
for garnish
for garnish
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. When it boils add the shrimp and remove from heat. Leave shrimp in water until they're pink and firm and just cooked, about 2 minutes. Immediately drain the shrimp and transfer to a bowl of ice water until cool. When the shrimp have cooled, peel them then place in a nonreactive bowl.
Stir in all the remaining ingredients except for the sea salt, mint, and cilantro, and gently stir to combine. Refrigerate for 15 minutes before serving. Taste and season with salt, as desired. Garnish with mint and cilantro and serve immediately.
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