I use your original ceviche recipe regularly, and it's wonderful. I made both fish ceviche and shrimp ceviche (by adapting your other recipe) for some friends recently and they loved it. I'm excited to try this one!

Your photo is just astonishing (once again), and the ceviche recipe looks great. I was going to make shrimp ceviche for a wedding shower recently, then, to my disappointment, discovered that several of the shower-goers wouldn't eat shrimp, so changed the menu. I'll have to make it just for myself and my husband. He'll eat shrimp, but it's not his favorite thing, so I'm heartened by your comment about your dad liking this ceviche so much. Cheers, and thanks!

This looks great! I hope to try it and post my results soon.

It sort of reminds me of http://www.beaskitchen.com/blog/2006/04/06/millefeuille-davocat-et-pamplemousse-avocado-and-grapefruit-millefeuille (shrimpy, avocado, citrus goodness!)

Elise, here's my results:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jbaugher/160080658/

I made this using the jiuce from only 2 1/2 limes and one lemon (that's all I had) and that was more than enough. I also added Old Bay seasoning (1 tbsp) to the water when I cooked the shrimp - it adds just a little bit more flavor.

It occurred to me while eating the leftover ceviche last night, that this is a very well rounded dish from an ayurvedic perspective. It has all six rasas:

http://www.naturalhealthmag.com/health/48

The shrimp is sweet, the citrus is sour, the salt is (obviously) salty, the cilantro is bitter, the red onion is pungent, and the cucumber and avocado are cool - very balanced. For me, cutting back on the citrus was helpful as I prefer less acidity in a meal.

Thanks Elise! The photo is mouth-watering.

I'm from India and can't find serrano chile here.Could you tell me what I could substitute it with?

Substitute any spicy chile such as jalepeno or habanero for the serrano. Shouldn't be hard to find something in india ;-).

Does it matter if I use only lemons, not lime or vice versa?

Used this recipe earlier today, but it came out incredibly sour because of the lemon juice. Ended up trashing the entire thing. Perhaps I made a mistake, although I am pretty sure the recipe was followed correctly...

I know you blanch the shrimp to save time, but the whole idea of ceviche is to cook the fish in the acid of lemons and limes.

Note from Elise: The acidic lime and lemon marinade cures the shrimp, but it doesn't kill the bacteria that seem to love raw shrimp. For that you need to cook the shrimp first. It's a food safety thing.

I followed the recipe and for simple shrimp ceviche it came out great! Only thing I did was drain some of the juice off after marinating, I did not want it coming out sour.

How long will ceviche remain good refrigerated?

Ok, Ok, For all of you who felt the lime/lemon created too much acidity to your plate. Here is the clue.
You have to balance it with salt, just the same way you have to balance the HOT (spicy)of a hot pepper with salt. Yes it enhances the flavor and allows you to tolerate the spicy flavor of hot pepper by adding salt, just before you eat it. Trust me.

I followed this recipe but added steamed halibut to it, subtracted the chile (I don't like anything spicy), used 2 teaspoons of salt instead of 2 tablespoons and 3 limes + 3 lemons. It came out great. Everyone at my dinner party loved it and it was my husband's first time trying ceviche ever (he said it was darn good).

I am making this tonight and I already know it will be fantastic because I've been sampling it... Thanks for another great recipe!

This is a simple but delicious recipe! My friend from Mexico also adds tomato and pimiento and it's great too. Just by looking at the picture I'm getting hungry :)

Can anyone tell me what's a good drink to serve with ceviche?

Perfect version: Take the recipe above, nix the cucumber. Half the lemon juice; add 1 tbsp. white vinegar, 1 tbsp. good quality olive oil. Now THAT's ceviche!

I also use white vinegar and a little olive oil - it really enhances the flavor. The salt keeps it from getting too bitter. I'm having it tonight as it's been marinated for almost 24hours. I used white fish, shrimp, squid, red onion, red bellpepper, cilantro, & avacodo. I can't wait to get home and dive in.

A small amt of olive oil reduces the acidity of the citrus and "smooths it out"

This looks really interesting- I've never come across it before!

Jessica was wondering what drink to serve with ceviche:how about a sparkling water with lemon or other citrus-flavor, lime or orange; or a Chardonnay or Chablis.

I've been wanting to try ceviche but a little apprehensive about the raw seafood. I like that you blanch the shrimp first: better to be safe and sensible. Now I know it's "okay" to cook first, I can make ceviche.

What to drink with ceviche?
Inca Kola! or Pisco Sour!

I have not had this in years. It is so good isn't it?

This is timely - was just looking for a ceviche and here it is. Hubby and me always have this in Mexico, with mixed results - but we are craving it here in this 106 degrees. We're wilting...

Elise - I tasted this delightful dish when I first visited Ecuador over 17 years ago. A popular local version adds freshly-popped popcorn on top; funny as it sounds it bring a nice cruchy texture to the dish and cuts some of the acidity. I often serve it that way and people are intrigued and pleased by the variation...

Such gorgeous photos - and what a simple and elegant dish, something that would not have occurred to me, but I must now try! Thanks!

Would like to try out this beatiful tasty appetizer but i am not sure what meaning for "ceviche", try to find out dictionary but get no result...

There's always Wikipedia. ~Elise

We visited a great restaurant here in Chicago last week that specializes in ceviche (Carnivale). We did a "flight" of 3 kinds and their shrimp version was the clear favorite. However, this recipe seems much lighter and more refreshing than the one we sampled...I can't wait to try it!

Also -- when serving, I know crackers are traditional. I generally perfer chips or to eat the dish alone. Curious to know your preference?

Alone or with softened corn tortillas. I love almost everything in tortillas. ~Elise

Made this last night. I made this the traditional way and had the lemon/lime juices cook the shrimp. Delicious. I was worried about the chili being too hot so I took out the seeds and used only half a serrano chili. Didn't feel the heat. Next time I'll still take out the seeds but use the whole chili.

Nice quick and easy dinner.

Oh-that looks so refreshing!

Can you substitute frozen shrimp if in a hurry?

Yes, but you will still need to defrost it, which you do by placing it in a bowl of ice water. Most "fresh" shrimp you buy at the market is actually defrosted frozen fish. ~Elise

This ceviche looks great. I love simple ceviches with just the right balance of flavors. I have never put cucumber in mine, but it is a great idea, and definitely cooling in the summer time. I made this Coconut Ceviche for our show; its a little more complicated, but has great flavor.

Looks almost like my ceviche recipe. My only comment/thought is that I was taught that ceviche is where the citric acid cooks the fish, not heat. This recipe detracts from the original theory.

Did a recipe like this a couple of days ago, using scallops and shrimp, but using the juice of limes, lemons, and grapefruit (for some sweetness). Tres magnifique!

The acid in the marinade "cooks" the fish, but it doesn't kill the bacteria. Raw shellfish tend to be especially susceptible to bacteria that can give you food poisoning, so unless you are getting your shellfish fresh and right from the sea, cooking the shrimp first is a safety measure to help keep you from getting sick. ~Elise

I eaten raw fish for about 50 years in the lemon and limes-orange juice with salmon, and I am still alive and very healthy. The grapefruit is good too with salmon try 2/3 c.orange juice with the 2/3 c. lime juice with onion -marinade overnite and than use only little of marinade with the civiche- along with fresh "roasted "polbano peppers.n some of the orange slices with no membrane -capers-cilantros - if you don't like cilantros use parsley.

I use a little chop cilantros with lots of lemon or lime- shrimp-scallops -fish- serano or jalapeno peppers chopped fine -little ketchup or tomato juice-avacodo slices-black olives- and cucumber slices chunked -sometimes as whole meal.

You can use Tabsco sauce-white vinegar - black olives- worchestershire sauce almost like a bloody mary with voda also. Experiment Mistakes are great creations! Of course I have to write them all down so I remember and use different ones.

This is just like my mom's recipe! (My parents are from Mexico.) Very refreshing on a hot summer's day and no slaving over a hot stove!

ceviche is raw seafood that has been cooked with citric acid, not heat.
This isn't ceviche.

Thank you for your opinion, James. You are welcome to skip the pre-cooking of the shrimp with this recipe. I would suggest if you do so that you use very fresh shrimp that have been kept completely cold. ~Elise

Elise, I tried this recipe and I was so disappointed in the outcome. I too got a very bitter harsh taste from what seemed like too much acid and the cilantro was far too overpowering. I could taste what the avocado and the cucumber were trying to do to cool it down and balance it out, but the salt just didn't do it's part to balance out the bitterness and the acid. I see from other comments some folks felt the same. I want to try it again, but this time I am going to use more salt, less citrus (or maybe drain it after the citrus "cooking" process). I am going to drop the chilies which didn't add or subtract as far as I can see, and substitute parsley with the cilantro. I may try some mint. I wanted this to work, but I am not sure if it was my inexperience or just a matter of taste. I am still going to try! Thanks for this idea, and wish me better luck next time??

Hello, I just started reading this blog, and I have to say so far I
like it. I used to work for a carpet warehouse and we had tons of
hispanic installers. They used to bring me Shrimp Ceviche. It was the greatest meal I have had in a long, long time. It came in a container with a bit of broth and the red onion, shrimp and celantro. I never saw avocado or cucumber, but I figured I would give this recipe a try b/c I love this dish so much and have yet to find a simple recipe that I liked.

I made this the other day and I guess I could've used more shrimp than I used. I also didn't like the cucumber or avocado in this, but it was refreshing. I think the cup of cilantro was a bit much. I love cilantro and I only used about 1 1/2 tablespoons.

Thank you for the recipe. I just think next time I will skip the
avocado and cucumber. Other than that it wasn't too bad. :)

3/4 of a cup of lime and 3/4 cup of lemon is in my opinion way too much. Maybe for 5 pounds of shrimp, I use very little since this recipe uses precooked shrimp- I have also used the clamato juice- try the spicy clamato- mucho bueno. Still cant beat the shrimp ceviche in Rocky Point Mexico, but getting closer too that perfection.