Vera Cruz Summer

The lazy days of summer lay ahead and stodgy stews have become a distant memory. Embark on a journey to the warm sea breezes of the Gulf of Mexico with vibrant, flavoursome seafood recipes inspired by the Mexican coastal city of Vera Cruz where its sea port, European heritage and the fruits of a lush climate set the tone for the dishes I have selected and translated from Authentic Mexican recipes.  Decorate the table with Marigolds or Calla lilies and take the maracas out.  

Scallop Ceviche

1 1b Fresh Scallops
1 Red grapefruit, peeled and segmented
1 Red grapefruit
1 mango, cut into cubes (approximately ¾ cup)
Juice of one lime (approximately ¼ cup)
½ Cup red onion, thinly sliced then halved
1 Tablespoon jalapeño, diced no seeds
½ Teaspoon salt
¼ Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons freshly chopped coriander (cilantro)
1 Ripe avocado, chopped

Wash and drain scallops

Peel one grapefruit and remove any of the white pith.  Slice it lengthwise along the membrane to remove the wedges and place in a medium size bowl.  Squeeze a ¼ cup of juice from the second grapefruit into the bowl as well.  Add cubed mango, lime juice, red onion, the jalapeño, salt and pepper.  Add the scallops, mix and refrigerate for 2 hours covered.  Add coriander before serving then garnish with avocado slices.

Prep time 30 minutes        Marinade 2 hours         Servings 8 ½ cup servings

Translated from quericavida.com

Vera Cruz Style Prawns

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 Pound Fresh medium prawns, peeled and deveined

¼ Cup Spring Onions, chopped

1 Jalapeño, deseeded and finely chopped

1 Teaspoon Orange rind

1 Teaspoon Fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 400g Tin of Roasted chopped tomatoes.  If unavailable you can roast them yourself quite easily or just keep it simple by adding a pinch of smoked paprika which will add a nice depth.

Put the olive oil into a 12 inch frying pan over medium heat.  Add the prawns, spring onions, orange rind, and the thyme and stir frequently for 1 minute.  Add the tomatoes and bring to the boil.  Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes or until the prawns have turned firm and pink, making sure to stir occasionally.  Serve with lime wedges, white rice and a fresh avocado salad.

Nutritional Information

Serves 4                                                                                                          

Cooking and Prep time total 15 minutes

1 serving; Calories 140 (Calories from fat 40)

Translated from Quericavida.com

Simple Avocado Salad

SALAD

• 2 large ripe tomatoes, sliced ¼ -inch tick
• ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 English cucumber, sliced crosswise
• 2 small avocados, diced

DRESSING

• 2 limes
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro 
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• In a small bowl whisk the vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, lime juice and cilantro, then set aside.
•  
• Place half of the tomatoes slices on a large plate top the tomatoes with half of the cucumber slices, half of the onions and half of the avocado pieces and repeat to make another layer on top. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

Serves 4-6

This recipe has been taken from mycolombianrecipes.com