Marie Saba

From My Kitchen To Yours

Campechana (Seafood Cocktail)

Campechana is a seafood cocktail that originated in Campeche, a Mexican state located along the Gulf Mexico on the western part of the Yucatan Peninsula. Campechana has a tomato base, thickened with ketchup, which is then mixed with tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, jalapeños, green olives, cilantro, lime juice. It’s refreshing and delicious and absolutely stunning when served in a sundae bowl and topped with avocado.

While is no cooking required for this dish, there is some chopping involved. But here’s the good news, you can do all the chopping ahead of time! You can chop everything up to 2 days in advance and store it in the fridge until ready to use. Or, you can make the full campechana in advance and store that in the fridge until ready to serve.

We especially love to serve a campechana as an appetizer at the beach, when we have access to fresh Texas blue crab and gulf shrimp. Looking for some other favorite seafood recipes? Try our crab cakes, salmon cakes, or baked trout. Hope you enjoy!

Campechana (Seafood Cocktail)

Ingredients

2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
½ seedless cucumber, peeled and diced
½ cup diced white onion
1-2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
¼ cup chopped pitted green olives
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 cup tomato juice
½ cup clam juice
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
½ cup ketchup
2 teaspoons Tabasco or Cholula
8 oz. cooked, shelled shrimp, quartered
8 oz. lump crab meat, picked over
Salt and pepper
1 large avocado, peeled and cut into cubes

For Serving: saltines, tortilla chips, lime wedges

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix together tomatoes, cucumber, onion, jalapenos, olives, cilantro, tomato juice, clam juice, lime juice, ketchup and Tabasco.
Add shrimp and crab to tomato mixture; stir gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Just before serving, top with avocado. Serve with saltines or tortilla chips and lime wedges.

Make-Ahead Tip:

Capechana can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

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