Aguachile Recipe

Prepare and poach shrimp

Rinse shrimp under cold water and pat dry. In a medium saucepan, combine 4 cups water, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, bay leaf, peppercorns and the halved lime. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, add shrimp and cook 1 to 2 minutes until the shrimp are just opaque and curl into a loose C (do not overcook). Remove immediately with a slotted spoon into an ice bath to stop cooking. Once cool, drain and pat dry. Reserve.

Slice poached shrimp in half lengthwise (or leave whole if preferred). Keep chilled until ready to combine with aguachile liquid.

Blend the aguachile liquid

In a blender, combine 1 cup fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons orange juice (optional), 2 serrano chiles (adjust for heat), 1 cup packed cilantro (stems trimmed), 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon sugar. Blend on high until bright green and smooth, about 30–45 seconds. Taste and adjust salt, sugar or chiles for heat. If the mixture is too intense, add 1–2 tablespoons water or additional orange juice to soften acidity.

Strain the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing to extract liquid; discard solids. The strained liquid should be thin and pourable. Chill briefly if needed.

Quick-pickle the onion

Place thinly sliced red onion in a small bowl. Add 3 tablespoons white vinegar, 3 tablespoons warm water and a pinch (1 tsp) of sugar. Stir, then let sit 10–15 minutes at room temperature to mellow bite. Drain if brine is too strong.

Prepare cucumber, avocado and radish

Thinly slice the cucumber and radishes (if using). Slice the avocado just before serving to avoid browning; toss slices with a few drops of lime juice if not serving immediately. Chop a few cilantro leaves for garnish.

Combine shrimp and aguachile

Place the poached, drained shrimp in a shallow bowl or individual serving glasses. Pour the strained aguachile liquid over the shrimp so they are mostly submerged. Gently press in several cucumber slices and a few pickled onion strips into the liquid. Cover and refrigerate 10–20 minutes to allow flavors to meld (shrimp are already cooked; this chills and seasons them).

Plate and garnish

Arrange avocado slices and radish on top or to the side. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro leaves and a light dusting of Tajín or coarse sea salt. Serve immediately with lime wedges and tortilla chips or tostadas for scooping.

If making ahead more than 30 minutes, add avocado just before serving to prevent softening; the shrimp will keep in the aguachile liquid up to 2 hours in the refrigerator but are best within 30–60 minutes.