Seafood is a staple of Mexican eating, as fresh seafood abounds in this coastal country. The traditional flavors of Mexican food paired with seafood create an excellent blend of tastes that just about everyone will love. Mexican seafood hails from the Gulf of Mexico and has worked its way throughout the rest of the country.
Here are three unique Mexican seafood appetizers that showcase some of Mexico’s most popular exports. Each has vibrant flavor that makes for quite the appetizer.
The following scallops from Mexican Recipe 4 Living are made with tequila and lime, which is reminiscent of the taste of a margarita.
Margarita Scallops
The combination of tequila and lime give these scallops a margarita-like flavor!
Ingredients
*24 lg. scallops
*1/2 C. olive oil
*1/4 C. tequila
*1/4 C. fresh lime juice
*1 tsp. freshly grated lime zest
*2 shallots, finely chopped
*2 garlic cloves, minced
*2 tsp. ground cumin
*salt and pepper
Directions
Rinse scallops and pat dry. In a bowl, combine olive oil, tequila, lime juice, zest, shallots, garlic, and cumin. Season to taste. Place scallops in a sealable plastic bag with half the marinade. Reserve the other half. Seal the bag and shake to blend. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes. Prepare a hot fire on your grill. Remove the scallops from the marinade and broil, turning once, for 2-3 minutes per side or until opaque with good grill marks. Serve drizzled with remaining marinade.
This next recipe from Mexconnect is a pico de gallo recipe that utilizes dried shrimp to add that salty seafood flavor for a brand new twist.
Pico de gallo con camaron seco
Ingredients
- 3 ounces dried shrimp
- 1 pound tomatoes, chopped
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 1 fresh jalapeno chile, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
- Lime juice to taste
- Salt to taste
Rinse the dried shrimp, soak them in cold water for 20 minutes, rinse again and soak for another 20 minutes. Remove heads and tails, peel and chop shrimp.
Combine shrimp with remaining ingredients and serve with totopos or tostadas. Makes 6 appetizer servings.
Grilled mussels with salsa from Rick Bayless are the perfect combination.
Grilled Mussels with Tomatillo Salsa and Cilantro
Serves 8 as a nibble or light appetizer
INGREDIENTS
About 48 (1 1/2 pounds) tightly closed mussels, scrubbed and de-beareded
About 2/3 cup homemade or bottled roasted tomatillo salsa
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
DIRECTIONS
1. Grill the mussels. Turn on a gas grill to medium-high or light a charcoal grill and let the coals burn until quite hot and covered with white ash. Spread the mussels onto the grill grates. As they open – it’ll take 2 to 4 minutes – they’re ready when the two sides of the shell have released completely from each other – remove the mussels to a rimmed baking sheet. When cool enough to handle, break off the empty half of the shell and, using your fingers or a small knife, pull the meat from the shell. Lay the meat back in the shell (the empty side of the shell is the prettiest for serving).
2. Finish and serve. Arrange the mussels on a serving platter. Spoon a half teaspoon or so of the salsa on each one, sprinkle with cilantro and you’re ready to serve.
If you love Mexican seafood, then you will love eating at Acapulcos Mexican Family Restaurant. We have a number of seafood dishes on our menu that are sure to impress. Visit one of our 12 locations throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut today!