Mexican Ceviche

     When I lived in Ecuador ceviche was a very traditional dish that the Ecuadorians were always promoting.  In Ecuador it is mainly shrimp, onion, and lots of tomato and tomato sauce.  Not being a huge tomato fan, I think I only found 1 ceviche that I actually liked.  Well, thankfully the caribbean and Mexican coast also serve ceviche as a native dish and there's a little bit more to it.  I tried this Mexican version and LOVED it!  It's very light, so be prepared to eat about 5 tostadas and don't feel bad about it! It's is such a healthy meal!  I couldn't think of anything that would go well as a side dish, so I filled up on the main dish and just kept going back for more! Here's the recipe: 

Ingredients

• 11 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2-3/4 limes, juiced (I used the bottled stuff)
• 3 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 3/8 yellow onion, finely diced
• 3/4 cucumber, peeled and diced
• 3 serrano peppers, seeded and minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• cilantro, chopped
• 1 avocado, diced
•  tostada shells
• hot pepper sauce (optional)

1. Place shrimp in a mixing bowl. Squeeze lime juice over shrimp until they are completely covered, about 3 limes. Stir in the tomatoes, onion, cucumber, serrano peppers, avocado, cilantro, and salt and pepper. Cover, and refrigerate 1 hour.
2. When ready to serve, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve on top of tostada shells with a splash of hot sauce, if desired.

       [I let mine marinate for about 7 hours... the longer the better.  Stir every couple of hours in order to keep the flavors even.  Since avocados are touchy, I added them about an hour before dinner so they would be fresh.  Also, I learned in Ecuador that if you let cilantro soak in water, it releases the flavor.  So, I always soak mine or at least rinse it off before chopping.  ] 

Enjoy this fresh treat!  This would also be great as an appetizer, so serve it at your next party!