MEXICO, DECEMBER 2012

By Jessica

I love Mexico, we went to the Riviera Maya on our honeymoon so it will always hold a special place in my heart. This time we went over Christmas, complete with parents in tow, back to the land of sunshine where you can have tequila and fajitas for breakfast and no one bats an eyelid. However, this round saw a more delicate take on some well versed dishes and I found that Mexican cuisine can be delicate and complex, so out with the heavy and fried cheesy filled burritos and tacos and in with something a lot more refined.

Prawn Cocktail Yukatan Style (4 people)

Ingredients:  Pack of cooked king prawns deveined, 1 coffee size mug of tomato pasatta (sieved tomatoes), 1 whole lime, 1 whole lemon, 1 whole red chilli pepper, ¼ large red onion, 1/4 garlic clove, salt and pepper, small bunch fresh coriander,  Worcester sauce.

The mix Cut the chilli pepper in half remove the seeds and any white membrane and cut in to matchsticks lengthways and then across in to very fine cubes. Do the same with the garlic clove. Save a couple of the coriander leaves for garnish and finely shred the rest of the leaves and stalks. Cut the red onion in to very fine cubes too. Use a zester or the finest setting on a cheese grater to very carefully zest half the lemon being careful to only take the yellow bits off the lemon and one of the white pith underneath (this can taste bitter). Mix everything above with the pasatta, the juice of the whole lime, salt and pepper and a dash or two of Worcester sauce to taste. You are effectively making a posh bloody mark mix here so alter the flavourings to suit your own taste. Let this mix sit for about 30 mins in the fridge to get really cold and for the flavours to meld together.

Finally, add the prawns to the mix.

To serve Spoon the sauce and the prawns in to 4 shallow bowls, distributing evenly,  and decorate with the reserved coriander leaves (and if you want to a lemon wedge).

This was a delightful starter served with crusty bread, or on its own!  

White Fish Cerviche (4 people)

Ingredients:  2 fillets of firm white fish (a bream or a river cobbler would suit) – or use a mix of white fish and maybe a couple of scallops (white bit only) cleaned and diced, 1 whole lime, 1 whole lemon, ½ orange, 1/2 chilli pepper, 1/4 garlic clove, salt and pepper, lettuce leaves.

The mix Squeeze the lemon, lime and orange and mix the juice together in a bowl. Finely dice the chilli to taste and crush the garlic clove, add to the citrus juice mix and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cut the fish in to bite size pieces and add to the citrus fruit mix. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for 2 hours.   

To serve Put a couple of crispy lettuce leaves in a 4 shallow bowls and spoon on the cerviche distributing evenly.