Ceviche, Man

Our honeymoon to Turks and Caicos was beyond perfect and we are missing the island life. In fact, our Pandora station has been set to UB40 since we got back and we still can't get enough of the island tunes, man. More on the Turks and Caicos later but how breathtaking is that beach!?

When you travel with me, it's still all about the food and what we ate during our week on the island was by far, some of the best food I have ever eaten. I came home with a lot of recipe inspiration for sure and so did my husband! That's right. On Saturday, MM did some research and whipped us up some island inspired ceviche. Ceviche is a seafood dish made with raw fish and fresh citrus and spices. The acid in the citrus cooks the fish and the result is spectacular. Ceviche is often mixed with fresh tomatoes, onions and cilantro- all flavors that pull it all together.

We made our way to The Fresh Market to pick up some fresh Carolina shrimp...no skimping and using the frozen ones. The rest was up to the chef. He chopped and diced and mixed it all with love and it was an island delight! The perfect appetizer for a summer's end Saturday dinner. I could have made a meal of this stuff. Cilantro has become one of my favorite fresh herbs to cook with and adds a unique flavor to anything you add it to. Much like my beloved tomato, basil and mozzarella, cilantro, onion and tomato create another beautiful marriage of fresh flavors. And look at the presentation! My food loving heart is smiling for sure. There might be some fierce competition in the Moore kitchen.

Shrimp Ceviche

1 lb. large peeled and de-veined shrimp, chopped

3/4 cup fresh lime juice

5 Roma tomatoes, diced

1 white onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon ketchup

2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (Frank's Red Hot or Texas Pete)

Salt & pepper to taste

1 avocado- peeled, pitted and diced

1 bag tortilla chips

Place shrimp in a large bowl with the lime juice. Stir together to coat the shrimp with the lime juice. Let this stand about five minutes, or until the shrimp are opaque. Once the shrimp are pink, the lime juice has cooked them. Add in the onion, tomato and cilantro. Mix everything happily together and cover in the fridge for about an hour. Letting the ceviche sit is key. After the mixture has marinated, the shrimp should be a light pink color with a white center. Mix in the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, hot pepper sauce and salt & pepper. Serve creatively and top with chopped avocado and garnish with tortilla chips for dipping.