Pink fruity shrimp ceviche.

If I had to choose just one thing to cook during all the summer, it would be this! a fresh ceviche will forever be my favourite and I have a few recipes under my sleeve , what’s not to love about fresh seafood simply marinated with all the freshness of the seasonal produce.

I love to serve this on a hot summer day in the garden, a “cevichito” as I like to call it, always is perfect to begin a meal and be shared among friends and a couple of very cold beers, the combination of seafood, fresh ingredients, with all that lime and chili , ready to go on top of a crispy tostada with perhaps a bit of garlic mayo is pure heaven, or at least my idea of it!

Normally a ceviche is made with raw seafood but I like to make this recipe with boiled shrimps as it’s safer to eat for my family and for the people that may feel bit nervous about eating raw seafood. The best thing about this recipe is the delicious marinade made of fresh beet juice, limes and extra virgin olive oil, with the addition of freshly chopped peaches into the mix makes it ideal for warm weather days.

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

400 grams of king prawns, (shelled, cleaned and deveined).

1/2 white onion.

1 garlic clove.

1 bay leaf.

1 pinch of salt.

*Prepare a bowl with 1 cup of ice and a bit of water to stop your shrimp from keep cooking).

1/2 red onion, (finely diced).

1 carrot, ( peeled and finely diced).

3 red jalapeños or red chilies. (finely chopped, use as little or as much according to your taste).

1 beetroot (juice), you can use a juicer or alternatively blend your peeled and roughly chopped beetroot with a bit of water , then pass the liquid through a fine mesh sieve to get a smooth beet juice).

2-3 limes (juice).

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.

3 peaches ( red haven and donut peach work well, you can use both, cut in small cubes).

Sea Salt and black coarse pepper to season.

50 grams of radishes ( finely shaved with a mandolin).

1 cup of fresh coriander, (finely chopped).

Serve with:

Salted crackers or tostadas.

Method.

Fill up half of the way of a medium size sauce pan with water, add the onion, garlic clove, bay leaf and a pinch of sea salt, bring your water to a boil and add the uncooked cleaned shrimp into the water only briefly just enough so that they are cooked but still tender.

Remove your sauce pan from the heat and place your shrimp into a bowl with ice and a bit of water to stop them from cooking, once they cool down completely drain the liquid and place your shrimp in a bowl, cover it with cling film and reserve on the fridge.

Prepare the marinade for your pink ceviche, in a small bowl, combine the beetroot juice, lime juice, extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt, whisk and set aside.

Get your shrimp out of the fridge, and add your finely chopped onion, carrot and red chilli, pour in the beetroot lime marinade and mix with a spoon. Season your mixture with a bit of black pepper and a bit more salt, taste and cover back again with the cling film, let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes, no more (you don’t want you shrimp to get tough as the acid of the lime cooks the shrimp flesh).

Once your ceviche is ready to serve, get a nice platter and spoon your pink shrimp ceviche in, garnish with the freshly cut peaches, coriander and shaved radish, serve with tostaditas and a very cold beer on the side, enjoy!