Due to laziness and a strong desire to not turn on any sort of heat source during the summer, I have become a huge fan of dishes that can be prepared without any actual cooking. Perhaps that’s why I’m so enamoured with the idea of aguachile, in which super-fresh seafood is “cooked” in a spicy, citrus-y chilli water.
This method (which is very similar to ceviche, but uses more water and less acid) hails from the northern Pacific coast of Mexico, and is super easy, super fresh, and super delicious. It’s usually applied to shrimp, but thinly-sliced scallops, sashimi-grade finfish, and even beef tenderloin (for the freshest carpaccio ever) are all viable, delicious candidates.
Click the below link for detailed instructions, but the procedure is pretty simple. Prepare your seafood (or beef) by sprinkling with salt, covering, and refrigerating for an hour and a half. Next, combine a cup of lime juice, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1/4 cup of cold water, and a couple of sliced serrano chillis in a blender and puree until smooth. Drizzle over seafood and serve immediately. Eat on top of saltines, with sliced avocado and onion for optimal happiness.
Aguachile: Mexico’s Most Vibrant Ceviche That Isn’t Actually Ceviche [Epicurious]
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Rhoda Boone.
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