Mexican Night

A friend has invited us to a potluck Mexican night.  Well, it's not really a potluck since we all picked what to make from the list of menu items.  I am bringing shrimp ceviche and rice pudding. My mom makes the best rice pudding.  She boils the rice with cinnamon stick and then adds evaporated milk, condensed milk, more cinnamon, and raisins.  It's delicious!

The shrimp ceviche recipe is a concoction I put together based on various recipes I read and following my grandma's advice about what ingredients complement fish and shrimp.  My grandmother used to own a seafood restaurant in Veracruz, Mexico.  This dish tastes best if made the night before and left to marinade in its own juices.  Here's the recipe:

Shrimp Ceviche

1 lb. cooked, peeled shrimp

6 plum tomatoes, seeded, and diced

1 medium-size onion, diced

1 serrano pepper, minced

1/2 a bunch cilantro, chopped

juice of 10 limes

1 tablespoon olive oil

dash of dried oregano

dash of tabasco sauce

salt to taste

Combine everything in glass bowl (or any non-reactive bowl).  Let sit over night or at least 4 hours.  Serve with avocado slices and hardy crackers.   You can also take a cup of this shrimp ceviche and add ketchup and tabasco sauce to make a tasty shrimp cocktail.  Enjoy!