Avocado and Chipotle Shrimp Salad with Tequila Shooters
- 1 European (seedless) cucumber, washed
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon tequila
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 jalapeño peppers, stemmed, seeded, and minced
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, finely chopped, with their sauce
- 2 ripe avocados
- 8 extra-large shrimp (about ¾ pound), peeled and deveined
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 small red onion, chopped into ¼-inch dice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus 4 sprigs for garnish
- 1 lime, cut into quarters
Instructions:
Chipotle peppers and a host of south-of-the-border seasonings put a Mexican spin on this adults-only shrimp and avocado salad.
- Trim the ends of the cucumber, then cut it crosswise into quarters. Using a melon bailer or a small spoon, scoop the flesh out of each piece, leaving 1/4-inch-thick walls and a Mi-inch bottom. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
- Whisk together the lime juice, 1 tablespoon of the tequila, ½ teaspoon of the sugar, the garlic, and jalapeños in a small bowl. Whisk in ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a slow, thin stream. Season with salt and pepper.
- Mix the chipotle chiles with 1 teaspoon of the sugar and 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette in a small bowl. Add the shrimp and toss well. Cover and marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator. Refrigerate the rest of the vinaigrette.
- When you’re ready to finish the dish, peel, pit and cut each avocado into 8 slices.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Season the shrimp with salt, then add to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.
- When the pan has cooled, add the tomatoes, red onion, and herbs to the shrimp, along with ¼ cup of the vinaigrette. Season with salt and toss well (do this in the pan so you don’t lose any of the shrimp’s cooking juices).
- Arrange 4 slices of avocado on each plate. Sprinkle the avocado with salt and pepper and drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette. Spoon the salad on top, putting 2 shrimp on each plate. Dip the tops of the cucumber into salt if desired. Fill each one with 2 tablespoons of the tequila.
- Stand a cucumber shooter next to each salad, garnish each salad with a wedge of lime and a sprig of cilantro, and serve.