SUPER EASY SHRIMP CEVICHE SALSA
Growing up in Florida, I am a seafood lover through and through. I was blessed to have two fathers growing up, a biological one and one by marriage to my mother. One thing they had in common was a love for fishing. I owned a fishing rod before I owned a Barbie doll. Besides fishing, I also really loved to shrimp. I remember when my mom’s best childhood friend LeeAnn used to come over once a year when the shrimp were running. We’d make bait balls (I’ll spare you the details of the ingredients because they’ll totally take away your appetite) and throw them off my parents’ dock and a few hours later when it was dark we would go outside and throw cast nets and catch coolers upon coolers full of shrimp. It’s a pretty magical experience and something I will remember forever. That being said, when you have hundreds of shrimp still left in your deep freezer after you’ve given a bag to everyone you know including the lawn man, you come up with all kinds of ways to use them in recipes. Same with vacuum sealed fish. I remember one year my dad and I caught so much wahoo I literally could not fit another bag in my freezer. Both shrimp and fish are excellent in ceviche and this shrimp ceviche salsa is exceptionally tasty and so darn easy to make, double win! I have given this recipe to probably a dozen people over the years because it’s a crowd pleaser at cookouts and a way to contribute to a food spread without breaking the bank or dirtying up much in your kitchen.
In this recipe I use salad shrimp because they’re the perfect size for tortilla chips. First you need your shrimp thawed out. Normal people who plan ahead thaw their shrimp by moving them from the freezer to the fridge the night before they’re going to be used. But I’m not normal people. I’m a procrastinator. I’m the person throwing a dish together while my youngest naps and my oldest plays iPad a few short hours before a party. So for my fellow procrastinators, the best way to thaw the shrimp is by putting them in a colander and running them under cool water while you do the rest of the steps.
So the shrimp are thawing… step one. Next you put the tomatoes, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, pepper, salt, and onion in a medium sized bowl. You add the shrimp and stir to combine. Add more salt, pepper, or lime juice to taste. Put this in a container with a lid and pop it in the fridge and let the flavors meld, I usually try to let it sit at least an hour but the longer the better. I usually make in the morning for a same day afternoon/evening shindig but I always think it tastes the best the next day so if you are one of those plan ahead types, make this the day before… you won’t be sorry! That’s it. No muss, no fuss and an exceptionally tasty salsa results. It seriously does not get any easier! Serve with chips. Toss intermittently while it’s served to reincorporate the juices that settle to the bottom. 
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound cooked salad shrimp, thawed
- 4 diced Roma/plum tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 cup lime juice
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1.5-2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 medium red onion, diced. I usually use red onion like traditional ceviche but it’s got a pretty strong flavor so go with Vidalia for a less intense taste.
DIRECTIONS
- In a medium sized bowl add tomatoes, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper, and onion.
- Add the thawed shrimp. *See comments above for tips on a quick thaw.
- Stir to combine and store in a container with a lid in the fridge until ready to serve, at least an hour but I think it tastes best if chilled overnight.
- Serve with tortilla chips. Stir occasionally while guests are devouring so that the juices that have settled to the bottom get reincorporated.
- If you make this and love it please post a pic and tag @thehungriesthousewife #thehungriesthousewife
