Tostada de Ceviche con Camaron

It was a very warm afternoon, not exactly a good time to grill the great beef cuts I've been hoarding in the freezer since I bought them earlier this week. I was not in the mood for another stew unless it was the fig stew I posted previously. My friend Anthony was craving ceviches and tostada and was bugging to go find a a good Mexican place that served them. I took the bluff but told him that I would not be caught dead driving around Orange county for a ceviche on a Sunday afternoon. This is the first day when I did not have any deadline, and I am not up for any mission, of any sort. I told him to drive over to the fish market and buy a few good pounds of shrimp, some vegetables and we can get the shrimp ceviche nesting on a golden corn tostada going. We didn't even have to wait for dinnertime. I promised to serve as soon as the shrimp was edible.

This is what I ended up with, remembering everything that our friend Joey taught us about making a proper kick-ass shrimp ceviche. Sorry, but I could not make any concessions on the Tapatio. This is what makes the version stand out from other versions. If you are unable to find Tapatio bottled pepper sauce, make the pepper sauce from scratch and boil some red chilies with half cup of vinegar, a generous amount of salt, some cloves of garlic, and puree in a blender or food processor. However, you are treading on uncertain ground and I cannot guarantee the results. Just buy a bottle of Tapatio or its substitute. You may use Tabasco, although I do not prefer its vinegary taste. Do not subject yourself to unnecessary pain. Improvise. This is a dish good enough to make a grown , burly man weep and beg for a Corona!

Tostada de Ceviche con Camaron

2 lbs (approx. 1 kilo) fresh shelled, headless deveined shrimp ,diced

12 pcs. crabsticks, halved and diced (optional)

3 large ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced

2 large cucumbers, peeled, cored and diced

1 large white onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced

2 pcs. jalapeno peppers (substitute with 2 pcs. red chili peppers if desired)

1 large bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)

1 1/2 cups lime or lemon juice

3/4 cup Tapatio sauce

sea salt for seasoning and finishing, ground black pepper for finishing

Directions:

On a glass bowl, Pour the diced shrimps and crabsticks, and add 1 cup of lime or lemon juice, and a teaspoon of sea salt. Marinate until the shrimp turns opaque. In a bigger bowl, Mix all the rest of the ingredients, add the marinating shrimps and crabsticks, and mix thoroughly. Marinate in the refrigerator until the shrimp turns a lovely tangerine-pink-cream color. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve over a store-bought tostada (unless you want to make it from scratch, silly!). Serve with slices of limes or lemons, sea salt and more Tapatio sauce. Keep the Coronas nearby. Enjoy a classic Baja concoction!