AGUACHILE

INGREDIENTS

1 lb raw shrimp, cleaned, deveined, washed and cut in half vertically
1 cup lime juice (about 3 – 4 limes; save the zest)
¼ cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons; save the zest)
Lime zest from juiced limes
Lemon zest from juiced lemons
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup ice water
1 Tbsp white vinegar
½ cup citrus juice reserved from cooking shrimp
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp agave syrup
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ bunch cilantro, separated whole leaves and minced stems
1 jalapeño pepper, deseeded and minced
2 serrano peppers, one deseeded and minced; one sliced very thin
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cucumber, peeled and cubed roughly ¼ inch
1 avocado, cubed roughly ¼ inch
4 small radishes, sliced very thin
1 serrano chili, sliced very thin
1 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
Kosher salt to taste
8 corn tostadas

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, cover the shrimp with lemon and lime juice, adding more than recipe calls for if necessary. Allow the shrimp to marinate in the citrus until they turn slightly pink, about 30 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Once the shrimp is pink, strain off the citrus juice into a bowl and reserve the juice and shrimp separately.

2. In a small bowl, combine the ice water and vinegar and submerge the sliced red onion. Set aside and allow to soak.

3. To make the aguachile, place ½ cup citrus juice, garlic, fish sauce, Worcestershire sauce, agave, cilantro stems, jalapeño, scallion and serrano in a blender. Purée just until smooth. Add salt to taste and olive oil and purée until emulsified.

4. Pour the aguachile over the shrimp and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Remove the shrimp from the fridge and gently fold in the avocado and cucumber. Taste and make any last adjustments to seasoning with salt and more reserved citrus juice if desired. Remove the red onions from the water and drain well. Garnish the aguachile with the onions, sliced radish, cilantro leaves, sliced serrano and gochugaru. Serve immediately with the tostadas on the side and your favorite Mexican hot sauce.

SUMMER CORN SOUP WITH DUNGENESS CRAB

INGREDIENTS

3 ears corn, shucked
2 cups corn stock (recipe included)
1 stalk lemon grass
4 makrut lime leaves
½ cup basil leaves, more for garnish
8 scallions, roughly chopped
1 Meyer lemon, juice and zest
¾ tsp fine sea salt
2 Tbsp minced radish
2 Tbsp minced chives
8 oz cooked and cleaned Dungeness crab meat
4 Tbsp Extra virgin Olive Oil, plus extra for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. To separate the corn kernels from the cob, place the flat end of the corn cob against a cutting board and slice down the cob from top to bottom rotating the cobb as necessary. Place the cobs in a stock pot and add just enough water to cover them. Remove the outer layer of lemon grass and slice the stalk into roughly 4-inch pieces. Add both the lemon grass and makrut lime leaves to the stock pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and allow liquid to cool. Refrigerate once liquid is cool.

2. Meanwhile, heat a large sauté pan (big enough to hold all your shucked corn) with 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat until oil begins to shimmer and glides easily about the pan. Add the scallions and corn and sauté over medium-low heat until tender (4 or 5 minutes). Allow to cool and refrigerate. In a small bowl, stir together the cleaned crab, radish, chives and 1 Tbsp olive oil. Refrigerate once thoroughly combined.

3. In a small bowl, stir together the cleaned crab, radish, chives and 1 Tbsp olive oil. Refrigerate once thoroughly combined.

4. Pour the aguachile over the shrimp and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

5. Add the cooked corn mix, lemon juice and zest, ½ cup ice and corn stock to a blender and purée until smooth.

6. Add salt to taste, stirring well between adding any seasoning. You may want to add more corn stock to get the preferred consistency. Add basil and 2 Tbsp olive oil to the mixture and purée until smooth. To serve, start by placing ¼ of the crab mixture in the center of a chilled serving bowl. Try to keep the crab tightly piled high. Pour soup around the crab until only a small amount of the crab is showing. Garnish with torn basil leaves and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.