Try this Mexican Shrimp Ceviche with Avocado for Cinco de Mayo

Welcome May flowers. I know the official start to spring is March 20, but for me, May screams new beginnings. Beauty emerges from the rains of April, bringing birth of new animals, plants and creatures. And let's not forget the introduction to warm weather!

Weddings, graduations and cultural celebrations add to the awesomeness of May. It also brings one of my favorite cultural festivities - Cinco de Mayo. This year I tried my hand at ceviche, and I absolutely love it.

Here is a traditional Mexican shrimp ceviche recipe that is easy to make. The tanginess from the citrus and the pallet-cleansing cilantro mixed with the yummy pop from the shrimp and crunch of the fresh vegetables just sings celebration. There is no 'cooking” involved, but this recipe will wow the taste buds of your friends and family, so don't be afraid to try it.

You can use fresh fish or other seafood besides shrimp for ceviche. Try white fish, scallops or sea bass. Bonus: Ceviche is a refreshing, low-carb, gluten free, dairy free and sugar free appetizer, great for our warmer months. It often is served with tortilla chips or crackers in a beautiful cocktail glass for lunch or dinner.

Most importantly, make sure you use fresh fish when making at home - after all, you are consuming fish that has not been cooked by heat. Most ceviche recipes start with raw fish. The citrus juices 'cook” the seafood. This Mexican shrimp ceviche recipe, however, has you boil the shrimp for a minute or two before making the ceviche to ensure your shrimp is cooked and any potentially bad bacteria has been killed.

There are so many options to choose from with ceviche. You should definitely try them all. You can add some red-hot Buffalo sauce, eat it on tostadas or put the ceviche on top of cooked chicken breast. Try tilapia, pineapple tidbits and scallion. No matter what flavor combination you use, just make sure everything is fresh.

This ceviche recipe uses citrus, cilantro, avocado, tomato and cucumber. It's a simple recipe that can serve as a flavorful appetizer or a light, healthy meal. It also makes for a tasty and fun appetizer for parties and gatherings.

You can easily convert this recipe into a light, healthy meal by serving over a bed of greens, over a sauteed chicken breast or tucked into a fresh and warm tortilla shell.

As with most all of my recipes, this one is versatile, easy to prepare and beautiful when served. Now it is time to roll up those sleeves, wash your hands and create your very own culinary art with ceviche.

Recipe

Mexican Shrimp Ceviche with Avocado

Prep time: 20 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

Serves: 8

1 pound shrimp 20/24 count peeled and deveined

1/2 cup lime juice (fresh is preferred on all citrus juices used in this dish)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup red onions, diced finely

1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced

1 cup tomatoes, diced finely

1 cup seedless cucumber (or remove seeds), finely diced

1 cup avocado, finely diced (I prefer sliced thinly and set on top)

1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add shrimp to boiling water and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until shrimp turns a light pink color and is cooked through.

Immediately remove shrimp so it stops cooking. Once shrimp is cool enough to touch, cut shrimp into bite-sized pieces if desired.

In large bowl, combine lime juice, lemon juice, orange juice, olive oil and salt. Add shrimp and marinate in refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Mix in diced onion, jalapeno, tomatoes and cucumber. Marinate in refrigerator for another 20 minutes.

Just before serving, stir in cilantro and avocado. Serve with tortilla chips, crackers or tostadas and mayo.

Source: Michelle Madden