Fresh shrimp delicately cooked in lime juice and tossed with tomato, avocado and chiles. Serve with endive leaves for a delicious, healthy and light low carb appetizer.
There aren’t all that many things that give away my Canadian origin these days. My accent, which has never been particularly strong (I don’t sound remotely like Bob and Doug MacKenzie), isn’t immediately identifiable to most people in the US. Except for a few words like out and about, sorry and tomorrow, I am virtually indistinguishable from my American friends. There were a few other things I used to say with a strong Canadian accent, such as using a short “a” sound for words like pasta and drama, but my husband teased me so mercilessly when we were dating that I dropped those long ago. And now when I return home (I still think of Canada as “home”), I can hear the distinctive Canadian accent and cadence that Americans talk about. It makes me a little sad to think about losing my accent but I figure as long as I can teach my kids to call me Mum instead of Mom, I will have done my Canadian duty.
But occasionally, I still say something that gives me away immediately. Part of my Canadian heritage was 8 long years of badly taught French, out of which I emerged barely able to speak the language and completely intimidated if any fluent French speaker fired a question my way. Pardonnez moi, je ne comprends pas, je parle Englais! However, that legacy left me with the tendency to assume a French accent on foreign words, particularly those of all Romance languages. And a tendency to want to respond with stock French phrases to any question in Spanish. I once answered “ça va bien” when asked how I was while on a vacation in Mexico. D’oh!
This little tendency tripped me up when on a blogger trip last fall. I had read of ceviche many times but I’d never tried it, nor had I ever heard the word spoken aloud. So when served some lovely chopped fish “cooked” in acidic citrus juice, I said “Oh, I’ve always wanted to try ce-veesh”. To the absolute hilarity of some American-born bloggers. “What did you just call the ce-vee-che?”, they asked. Damn, gave myself a way again! All that French training, just to make me look silly in front of other food bloggers! Blame Canada!
It still didn’t deter me from wanting to try making my own ceviche (it somehow takes on a whole new meaning when pronounced with a Spanish accent rather than a French one!). Of course, I am pairing it with endives leaves, which should, in fact, be said with a French accent. On-deev. My favourite way to eat endive is fresh, with dips and spreads and other fresh ingredients. The freshness of the shrimp, marinated for hours in lime juice so that it’s cooked through, is a perfect match for the fresh, crisp endive. So what if I’m mixing my cuisines??? As long as I am pronouncing them correctly…
Shrimp and Avocado Ceviche in Endive
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh shrimp jumbo size, peeled and deveined
- 1 ¼ cups fresh lime juice
- 1 large tomato chopped
- 1 or 2 jalapenos seeded and minced
- 4 scallions chopped, white and light green parts only
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves chopped
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1 ripe avocado chopped
- Half a lime
- 2 heads endive leaves separated
Instructions
- Chop shrimp into ½ inch pieces. In a deep bowl, combine shrimp and lime juice so that shrimp is completely covered by juice and pieces float freely so they can marinate on all sides.
- Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.
- In a large bowl, combine chopped tomato, jalapenos, scallions, cilantro, salt and pepper. Drain shrimp in a colander and add to bowl. Toss to combine well. Gently toss in chopped avocado. Squeeze lime over.
- Spoon one or two tablespoons of ceviche into endive leaves and serve. Alternatively, you can put ceviche into a serving dish and place endive all around it for guests to serve themselves.
Alicia S says
I made this tonight and added a few items and used precooked shrimp. It was delicious. So cool, clean and refreshing! I may have to have another serving!
Denise says
your recipe looks so good – I love ceviche – have always wanted to try to make it at home
as for the Canadianisms we speak, one of the funniest I ever said (according to my neighbours here in Texas) was when I said “bum” instead of butt. 🙂
Carolyn says
Haha, it sounds so British to say “bum”. And I got laughed at for saying “dink”.
Misty says
I made this tonight! It is absolutely delicious. A very fresh and vibrant flavor! We ate so much of it we were not even hungry for dinner.
AM says
This was so very good! Made me want to do a tapas night! Make some sangria, and lots of lovely little plates like ceviche, bacon wrapped scallops, olives, fancy cheeses, etc.! Loved the idea of using endive leaves to hold the ceviche. I’ve since used them to hold curried chicken salad and crab salad too. Yum!
Carolyn says
Endive leaves are awesome for holding just about anything I want to scoop into my mouth. I agree, perfect for tapas
Kate@Diethood says
Oooooh this sounds SO good!! I need more shrimp in my life. I don’t eat it nearly as much as I’d like to.
I love the Canadian accent! And I love that “eh” you have to put at the end of every sentence. 😀
Denise says
we do not put “eh” at the end of every sentence – it’s a regional thing
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
Love this summery appetizer!!
Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. says
some of my favorite ingredients here!!
Jeanette says
Carolyn, so funny, I’ve been thinking about shrimp ceviche ever since I saw it on a restaurant menu a few days ago. My kids love ceviche – looking forward to trying your recipe!
Gladys says
Ah, when I cross into Detroit from Windsor….everyone can hear my Toronto accent.
Let’s face it…you can never take the Canada out of a Canadian! Happy 4th.
Great recipes…wonderful reading.
Regards,
Glad
mellissa @ ibreatheimhungry says
I’ve had ceviche with fish and scallops, but never shrimp! This looks great and I love the use of the endive as a vehicle. Perfect for summer, can’t wait to try this one! And who cares if you couldn’t say it – as long as you can make it taste delicious!
I had no idea how to pronounce Foie Gras for years (it’s “Fwah-Grah” and in my head I always said “foo-ee-grass”). I finally asked a chef relative how to say it right so that I could order it in a restaurant without looking like an idiot! Doh!
Brenda @Sugar-Free Mom says
I have never tried Ce-vee-che!! But I think I may, your recipe looks fantastic and I had no idea you were from Canada!
Eric says
LOL! I’m not Canadian (even though I grew up calling my mother Mum), but I had to laugh at this post. I have enjoyed eating, and making, ceviche, and love the idea of serving it with endive. I DO speak French, so tend to pronounce it the French way as opposed to the American way ( en-dive), but I suppose that, since it’s full name is Belgian Endive, it should be pronounced with a Belgian accent. Don’t ask me the difference, but I suspect any Parisian could identify it (with a dismissive sniff) in an instant. All I know is that I pronounce it delicious (and ceviche perfect for a July 4 picnic).
Eat Good 4 Life says
I can see that you like avocado 🙂 I do too. This looks and sounds wonderful. Believe or not I have never made ceviche. I know my family would love it so I shall make it very soon!
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says
This is such a scrumptious looking ceviche, Carolyn! Perfect for summer parties. I love the endive cups, too!
Dawn says
I’ve always thought the word was French, as well, and I don’t have Canadian citizenship to blame for that. Thanks for setting me straight today. 🙂 And the recipe looks yummy, too!
Carolyn says
Well, good to know it’s not just us Canucks! 😉
Kimberley says
I never even thought of myself as having an accent! Accents are quite regional in the States too though, last fall I was in the midwest and after telling someone I was from Canada they replied “Oh really, I would have never guessed…..you don’t even have an accent!”
Your ceviche looks delish by the way! That would be another word I would totally mutilate and not because of my “Canadian accent” but simply because I don’t think I have ever heard it spoken in my life……I will blame it on living on a farm, lol!
Carolyn says
Hi Kimberley! Funny how we pronounce things in our head long before we ever hear them spoken aloud. I remember mutilating the word Episcopalian when I first said it out loud, much to my husband’s amusement. 🙂
RavieNomNoms says
Fantastico!