Seafood campechana is a vibrant and refreshing dish that perfectly combines shrimp, crab, and a medley of flavorful vegetables. This delicious appetizer is a guest favorite, elevating any gathering with its stunning presentation and delightful taste.
The Quest for the Perfect Seafood Campechana Recipe
While visiting Goode Seafood Company restaurant in Houston, I stumbled upon the most amazing campechana—a fusion of salsa, crab, and shrimp cocktail. This restaurant’s version was delicious and artfully presented, featuring a wonderful mix of jumbo lump crab and fresh shrimp. Unfortunately, my visit was brief, and living far away made enjoying this dish all the more challenging. Therefore, I was inspired to search for the perfect recipe for this beautifully crafted campechana to recreate that memorable experience at home.
An Eye-Catching Delight: A Must-Try Seafood Campechana
The campechana at this restaurant is piled impossibly high in a tall ice cream sundae glass, accompanied by a long iced tea spoon. They place it on a plate and surround the bottom of the glass with a generous pile of tortilla chips and a small bowl of sliced fresh jalapenos–more than you can possibly eat. This campechana’s striking presentation and delicious flavor make it a popular choice among diners. You’ll often spot these eye-catching dishes on many tables.
Unveiling the Legend: Seafood Campechana
I started my search for the campechana recipe. I quickly realized that the restaurant’s version is renowned and highlighted in numerous national publications. In my search, I stumbled upon a video featuring a chef from the restaurant who demonstrated how to prepare their campechana step by step. The footage covered everything from charring the peppers over an open flame to chopping the vegetables, providing a clear and engaging explanation of the recipe.
The Importance of Choosing the Right Chili Sauce
Unfortunately, the first time I made seafood campechana, I used a sweet chili sauce instead of a hot one. When I tried it, it didn’t taste as I had expected. It was too sweet and not at all like the version I loved.
The next time I tried making it, I used a savory chili sauce, which was delicious! I have included a recipe note on the hot chili sauce brand I used. If you can’t find it, substitute another one, being mindful to use a savory sauce instead of a sweet one.
Ingredients in Seafood Campechana
Vegetables
This campechana features a list of vegetables, including peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic, green olives, herbs, and avocado. Each should be chopped by hand to avoid extracting too much water from them. Use the freshest vegetables you can find, and consider cutting them ahead of time or using a chopping partner to make the preparation easier.
Red Sauce and Seafood
The red sauce consists of olive oil, ketchup, chili sauce, salt, lime, and Clamato juice. There are two kinds of seafood in this campechana, crab and shrimp. You can include both, or make it with all crab or all shrimp. Use pasteurized crab, and boil and peel the shrimp ahead of time.
Servings
This delightful recipe yields approximately 10-12 servings, making it perfect for entertaining. However, if it is served with other appetizers, it will go a lot further. If you are not hosting a large group, feel free to halve the recipe to suit your needs.
Serve campechana in a clear glass dish or ice cream sundae glasses for a beautiful and appetizing presentation.
Storing Seafood Campechana
If you have leftovers, you can store the campechana in the refrigerator for a few days. However, it’s important to remember that seafood has a relatively short shelf life, so it’s best to enjoy your dish within a couple of days for optimal freshness and flavor.
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Seafood Campechana
Ingredients
Vegetable Ingredients
- ½ cup Anaheim chili pepper or poblano pepper (roasted, peeled, and chopped)
- ¼ cup sweet onion, diced
- ½ cup fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- ¼ cup pitted green olives, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon serrano (or jalapeno) pepper, chopped
- 1 avocado, peeled and chopped
Sauce ingredients
- â…“ cup olive oil
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup sriracha hot chili sauce
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 1 cup Clamato juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Seafood Ingredients
- ½ pound shrimp, boiled and peeled
- ½ pound jumbo lump crab meat (pasteurized and cleaned
Instructions
Directions for Roasting Anaheim Chili Pepper
- Preheat the oven to the broiler setting and move the oven rack 3-4 inches from the broiler element.
- Cut the Anaheim chili pepper in half lengthwise. Cut off and discard the stem, and pull out any ribs; discard them.
- Remove seeds.
- Place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a greased baking sheet.
- Broil until pepper is charred and blistered, approximately 10 minutes.
- Remove the pepper from the oven and place it in a bowl, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap.
- Let sit for 20 minutes until cool.
- Peel off the charred skin from the pepper.
Directions for Campechana
- Place all vegetable ingredients except avocado in a mixing bowl. Stir to mix.
- Add all the sauce ingredients and stir well to mix.
- Stir in the shrimp and gently fold in the crab meat and avocado.
- Serve with tortilla chips.