Ceviche: Mexican Shrimp Cocktail

Are you planning a menu for a warm weekend? Maybe you're wondering what to make for your next BBQ.

Here is a quick and easy recipe to one of my favorite dishes, Ceviche. Ceviche is a Mexican style fish cocktail, served cold.

Get creative. This ceviche recipe can be used with any kind of fish.The recipe below serves about four people or it can be served as a dip platter.

Add these items to your grocery list:

-1 lb. shrimp
-1 large tomato
-1 avocado
-1 white onion
-7 ripe lemons
-1 bundle of cilantro
-1 cucumber
-1 pack of tostadas (hard tortillas that can be found by the tortillas)

Cooking instructions are easy, infact; you don't even have to cook. Place the shrimp in a large bowl. If you've chosen jumbo shrimp, cut them into bite size pieces.

De-seed the tomato by slicing in half then squeezing its contents out gently. Dice the tomato into small quarter inch chunks.

Peel the cucumber. Then dice the cucumber, half of the white onion, and about ten sprigs of cilantro - all into quarter inch chunks.

Mix all chopped ingredients into the large bowl, leaving out the avocado. This will be the final addition.

Slice the lemons into halves and squeeze them into the bowl. I use a hand held citrus tool to empty out the lemons. Mix contents gently with a large spoon.

Now, slice the avocado in half by gently grazing the parameter of the avocado seed, top to bottom, with your knife. Separate the avocado halves and remove the seed.

Gently knife half inch squares into the avocado by grazing the interior of the skin, then remove the squares with a spoon. Very gently mix the avocado squares into the bowl. Include the avocado seed to the ceviche. This keeps the avocado green.

Refrigerate for about an hour and serve with tostadas on the side.