AI-generated image
Coctel de camarón
Prawn cocktail
Coctel de camarón: chilled Mexican prawn cocktail in tomato-lime juice from the Gulf and Pacific beaches
Beach stands from Veracruz to Mazatlán serve this cocktail in tall sundae glasses, the prawns swimming in a cold, tangy tomato-lime juice with onion, cucumber, coriander and avocado. It's eaten with a spoon and crisp tostadas, often with a splash of hot sauce, on a hot day by the sea. The prawns are cooked first; it isn't a ceviche. Chef's tip: save the poaching liquid, chill it and add a few spoonfuls to the sauce for a deeper seafood flavour.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the prawns
- 14 oz raw prawnspeeled and deveined
- 1 tsp salt
For the sauce
- 1 ¼ cups tomato juicechilled
- 4 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 4 tbsp lime juice
- ½ white onionfinely diced
- ½ cucumberdiced
- 1 serrano chilefinely chopped
- ½ oz fresh corianderchopped
- 1 ripe avocadodiced
To serve
- 1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (8)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Check the 14 oz raw prawns: they should smell of the sea; throw away any that smell of ammonia or feel slimy.
1 minStep 2: Bring a pan of water to a simmer with the 1 tsp salt. Add the prawns and poach for 2–3 minutes until pink and opaque all the way through. Drain into a bowl of iced water; overcooking is the common mistake and makes them rubbery.
4 minStep 3: Mix the 1 ¼ cups tomato juice, 4 tbsp tomato ketchup and 4 tbsp lime juice in a bowl, then stir in the ½ white onion, ½ cucumber, 1 serrano chile and ½ oz fresh coriander.
5 minStep 4: Drain the prawns, fold them into the sauce and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes. Keep it cold and eat within 2 hours of making.
15 minStep 5: Spoon into glasses, top with the 1 ripe avocado and serve with 4 corn tostadas and 1 tsp hot sauce.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 20 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does coctel de camarón take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of tomato ketchup?
- Tomato purée with a pinch of sugar and a dash of vinegar.
- What can I use instead of lime juice?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Moreton Bay bugsSlipper lobster with garlic butter
Moreton Bay bugs are the flat, shovel-nosed slipper lobsters caught off the Queensland coast around Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, and for Queenslanders they are a summer treat, split and grilled at the beach house. The tail meat is sweet and rich, somewhere between lobster and prawn. Buy them raw, frozen or fresh, from a fishmonger and ask them to halve them if you like. A common mistake is overcooking, which makes the meat rubbery; it is ready the moment it turns white. Chef's tip: grill flesh side down first to mark it, then turn and baste in the shell.
Australian
Black bean tacos with lime slaw
Proof that a meat-free taco night can be the best one. The beans are mashed with chipotle and cumin so they hold together in the tortilla, and a quick lime slaw adds crunch.
Midia saganakiMussels with tomato and feta
Thessaloniki is Greece's mussel capital, with farms in the Thermaic Gulf a few kilometres from the seafront ouzeries where this two-handled pan arrives, still bubbling, at the table. Mussels steam open in a quick sauce of peppers, tomato and chilli, and crumbled feta melts into the juices at the end. Bread is essential. The classic version adds a splash of ouzo; this one is alcohol-free, using a pinch of fennel seed for that aniseed note (add 2 tbsp ouzo with the tomatoes if you like). Common mistake: overcooking — take the pan off the heat as soon as the shells open. Chef's tip: buy mussels on the day and keep them in the fridge in a bowl covered with a damp cloth, never in water.
Greek