Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Inspired by the Campechanna Cocktail at the Margarita Restaurant & Oyster Bar in San Antonio, Texas.
I first had something like this in San Antonio at La Margarita Restaurant & Oyster Bar, called the Campechanna Cocktail, sometime back in the 1970s. This is an ageless restaurant that has been around since 1941. This appetizer is still on their menu today although the recipe no longer includes oysters; those are provided only on request. At the time, they served the Campechanna Cocktail with a shot of premium Añejo tequila, to be poured into the dish or sipped on the side. As with the oysters, this too, has been discontinued.
La Margarita Restaurant & Oyster Bar
One look at this restaurant building and you’d think you’re in New Orleans. But you’d actually be in El Mercado (The Market) in San Antonio, Texas. El Mercado has been in operation since the early 1800s, but it was officially developed in 1891. It’s just a short walk away from the famous San Antonio River Walk. La Margarita Restaurant & Oyster Bar is one of several restaurants in El Mercado.
Many local and regional restaurants copied the Campechanna Cocktail and I forgot about it when I moved away from the area. Fast forward twenty-five or so years and I was in a Pappadeaux restaurant in Houston. They have something on their menu resembling the La Margarita appetizer. When I got home, I fooled around with a recipe for it, and this is what I came up with. I honestly don't remember if their version had cucumber in it, or if that was my innovation (or rather, a suggestion from My Number One Fan), but it added body and crunch to the dish and I really liked the results.
Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 lb cooked jumbo shrimp, peeled, de-veined and tails removed
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1- 1/2 cups V-8 juice
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 2 tsp prepared horseradish
- 2 dashes Tabasco sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- juice of 1 fresh lime
- 1 ripe Haas Avocado
- 1/2 large cucumber, peeled and diced
- lime wedges and cilantro sprigs for garnish
- fine sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Cut all but four shrimp into thirds.
- Mix the garlic, cilantro, red onion, V-8 juice, ketchup, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice and horseradish and blend well with a pinch of salt.
- Add the cucumber and all the shrimp and mix well to ensure all the shrimp is covered in the sauce.
- Halve the avocados and remove the pit. Use your knife to gently score the avocado flesh into square chunks, then turn the peel inside out and as you do, scrape the diced avocado gently into the mixture. Fold in the avocado gently so as to not masticate the pieces.
- Allow the dish to sit in the refrigerator at least 2 hours so all the flavors amalgamate.
- Serve into stemmed wine glasses or margarita glasses, place the whole shrimp on the very top, and garnish with a spring of cilantro and a wedge of lime.
Notes
- Frozen shrimp thaw very quickly in a colander under cold running water, turning and tossing the shrimp frequently to get its cold water shower.
- Do this about 30 minutes prior to cooking, then wrap the shrimp in paper towels and put in the refrigerator to dry out before using.
