Shrimp, shrimp, shrimp. More shrimp. The nortes, the cold winds from the North, are hitting us here on the Gulf Coast of Yucatan and that brings in the shrimp season. There are commercial shrimping boats around, I’m sure, but the residents just use the circular nets and shrimp in the lagoon. I feel confident about the freshness of what my neighbours give me – los camarones are usually still alive when I’m presented with a bucketful of them!
So I’ve been hitting the cook books, raiding my pantry shelves, and adapting recipes for…shrimp!

Here’s a recipe for a great appetizer or light lunch, and a delicious tomato-based soup from Veracruz:

Cold Marinated Shrimp - Serves 4-6

4 large white onions
Juice of 1 lime
2 pounds shrimp
1 cup light oil, such as corn or safflower
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small can jalapeno chilies in vinegar (jalapenos escabeche)
1/2 cup white vinegar
Reserved juice from the chilies
Salt and pepper to taste
3 large tomatoes, sliced and sprinkled with salt and pepper to taste

Thinly slice 3 of the onions, gently breaking them into rings. Squeeze lime juice over them and rerigerate for 2 hours. Rinse, shell, and devein shrimp.

Slice the fourth onion. In a skillet, heat half the oil and gently cook the onion and garlic until soft. Add shrimp, and cook until they turn pink. Discard the garlic. Set shrimp aside to cool.

Open the can of chilies and de-seed. Remember to reserve the juice! Chop chilies into fine strips.

Mix the remaining oil with the vinegar, juice from the chilies, and salt and pepper. Combine marinated onions with cooled shrimp. Pour dressing over. Garnish with chili strips and tomato slices.

Consider serving with ice cold beer!


Veracruz-Style Shrimp Soup – Serves 4

2 shrimp stock cubes dissolved in 6 cups water
(or, substitute 2 cups bottled clam broth mixed with 4 cups water)
1 small white onion
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeed, and pureed ( or 1 15 oz can pureed tomatoes)
1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed,dried oregano
salt and pepper
Optional: lime wedges, cilantro, salsa

Chop onion medium-fine. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet and cook onion and garlic until translucent. Add the pureed tomatoes and cook, stirring, about 15 minutes more. Add the 6 cups seafood stock. Bring to a gentle boil and add shrimp. Add the vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with lime wedges, chopped cilantro, and fresh salsa on the side. And, of course, always with fresh corn tortillas.