Aguachile Del Rey Recipe

Clean and chill seafood

Rinse scallops and shrimp under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. If scallops are large, halve them crosswise for bite-size pieces. Place scallops and shrimp in a shallow glass or ceramic bowl in a single layer. Cover with ice water and refrigerate for 10 minutes to keep them very cold before marinating; drain and pat dry again just before proceeding.

Prepare octopus

If using pre-cooked octopus, slice thinly against the grain into bite-size strips and keep chilled. If your octopus is not cooked, simmer gently in water with aromatics until tender (about 45–60 minutes depending on size), chill fully, then slice.

Soak onion

Thinly slice the half white onion into half-moons and place in a small bowl with cold water for 5–10 minutes to mellow sharpness. Drain and set aside.

Make aguachile base

In a blender, combine lime juice, lemon juice (if using), Serrano chilies and Thai chilies (start with fewer if sensitive), cilantro leaves, sea salt and sugar. Add 60 ml cold water. Pulse until smooth and bright green. Taste and adjust salt, acidity, or heat. If the mixture is too sharp, add another 15–30 ml cold water to mellow.

Strain (optional)

For a silky sauce, strain the blended aguachile through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with a spoon to extract liquid. Discard solids. This step is optional if you prefer a chunkier texture. Keep the sauce chilled.

Combine seafood with marinade

Arrange scallops, shrimp and sliced octopus in a single layer in a shallow glass or ceramic dish. Pour enough aguachile sauce over the seafood to barely cover it. Add the drained sliced onion and cucumber rounds evenly over the top. Gently press so seafood is submerged. Cover and refrigerate.

Marinate briefly

Allow to marinate in the refrigerator: shrimp and scallops for 8–12 minutes (they will 'cook' in the citrus and be just opaque); octopus can marinate longer (15–20 minutes) since it is pre-cooked. Taste after 8 minutes and adjust time depending on desired texture: shorter for more tender raw-like texture, longer for firmer.

Plate

Remove dish from refrigerator and drain most of the excess aguachile into a bowl (reserve a few tablespoons to dress when plating). Arrange scallops, shrimp and octopus on chilled plates or on a platter. Fan avocado slices alongside and scatter some cucumber and onion over the top.

Dress and garnish

Drizzle 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 2–3 tablespoons of the reserved aguachile liquid over the seafood. Sprinkle fresh cracked black pepper and place microgreens or cilantro sprigs for color. Add a light pinch of sea salt to avocado if desired.

Serve

Serve immediately with tostadas or crackers on the side. Recommend tasting a piece first and adding additional lime or salt if needed. Consume within 1–2 hours for best texture and freshness.