Imagine yourself near a tepid desert sea. The distant call of a cruising seagull is softly overtaken by the sound of rolling waves that wash up onto the beach, leaving behind a carpet of silky, white foam. Suddenly, your dreams are interrupted by a low, friendly voice.

“I have brought the ceviche you ordered, amigo.” The well-tanned young man balancing the serving tray offers as he lavishly presents a chilled bowl of marinated shrimp, scallops and fish on the small table in front of you. With the first bite, your mouth explodes with a carnival of flavors as the fresh cilantro, garlic, lemon, scallions and fiery Serrano chilis combine with the taste and texture of the magnificently fresh local seafood.

The best part of this delightful gourmet treat is that it is almost ‘guilt free’, since it is high in protein, low in fat and carbohydrates …and is absolutely scrumptious! There is even more good news: you don’t have to take a vacation to Baja California to enjoy the marvelous seafood preparations that this magical peninsula has become famous for.

Here are a few tasty recipes that characterize the seafood of the region:

P o b l a n o – S h r i m p E n c h i l a d a s

The Gulf of Mexico and the Sea of Cortez have been blessed with numerous gifts from the ocean, and each year the people living near these productive waters often celebrate that fact with late fall shrimp festivals, which express their great love for these succulent crustaceans.

This recipe incorporates the rich, earthy flavor of poblano chilis to help spice things up. One important tip is to always select the best ingredients. When buying fresh shrimp, be sure to insist on purchasing only ones that are firm, and lacking in even the slightest hint of ammonia. In the event that a suitably fresh product is unavailable, try to find frozen shrimp that have been individually ‘quick’ frozen.

Poblano chilis ranges in color from dark green to almost black and have a tempting, rich flavor that can vary from mild to picante. The darkest poblanos generally have the most intense flavor, making them excellent candidates for stuffing. Although now grown throughout the U.S. southwest, and readily available in most supermarkets, some still say that the very best tasting chilis are found in central Mexico. Their peak season is between summer and early fall.

Poblano-Shrimp Enchiladas
½ kilo fresh, unpeeled medium shrimp
8 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large poblano chili, halved and seeded
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 tomato, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cumin seed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
8 to 10 freshly made corn tortillas
1 (10-12 ounce) can of tomatillo and green chili based enchilada sauce
1 1/2 cups (6-8 ounces) shredded Manchego or Monterey Jack cheese

Peel, devein and rinse the shrimp, then set aside. Brush an 11- x- 7-inch baking dish with 2 tablespoons olive oil, set aside. Sauté pepper in remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until skin looks blistered. Remove from skillet, and chop.

Return chopped chili pepper to skillet. Add onion and next 6 ingredients; sauté 4 minutes. Add shrimp, sauté 1 minute, remove from heat and cool 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream.
Heat tortillas individually on griddle, then spoon the shrimp mixture evenly down center of each tortilla, and carefully roll up. Arrange each enchilada side-by-side, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish. Top them with sauce, and sprinkle with cheese (adding a bit more, if you are a cheese lover). Dish can be covered and refrigerated
1 day prior to cooking, if desired. Bake in oven for about 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serves 4.

La Fiesta
CEVICHE
COURTESY OF CHEF RAUL DELGADILLO

The country of Mexico is surrounded by the sea, so it is easy to understand why seafood plays such an important role in la cocina Mexicana. One of the most popular appetizers is ceviche. Almost every coastal state has its own rendition of this mixture of raw shrimp, fish or scallops, which naturally ‘cooks’ itself in fresh citrus juice. This particular recipe is a specialty of Executive Chef Raul Delgadillo at La Fiesta, a popular restaurant in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, and is typical of the version served in Acapulco. It pairs wonderfully with crunchy, corn tortilla chips, guacamole and a cold cerveza or margarita.

INGREDIENTS:

1½ lb. White sea bass or other mild, white fish
1½ lb. Shrimp (31/40 size)
1½ lb. Bay scallops
1 cup Fresh lemon juice
1 cup Fresh lime juice
1 cup Fresh orange juice
1/3 cup Olive oil
4 cloves Fresh garlic
2 lb. Tomatoes (ripe)
1 cup Spanish red onion
1/3 cup Fresh Cilantro (chopped)
½ cup Tomato catsup
1 Tbls. Fresh oregano
½ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbls. Serrano Chiles (chopped)
2/3 cup Green olives (pitted & chopped)
1 ripe Avocado (sliced for garnish)

METHOD:

Place the seafood in a glass bowl, cover with the citrus juice mixture and refrigerate overnight.

Heat the olive oil in a small skillet; add the garlic and sauté for about 3 minutes. Discard the garlic and allow the oil to cool.

Chop tomatoes and remove seeds, but reserve the juice. Place in a large glass bowl and add the onion, cilantro, catsup, oregano, salt, pepper, chiles and olives. Then add the skillet oil and mix well. Set aside.

Thoroughly rinse the seafood, cover again with fresh water and let stand for 5 minutes, then rinse again. Add the seafood to the mixture of condiments and stir well.

Serve immediately with avocado garnish, and ENJOY!

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