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We’re nearing the tail end of blood orange season, so I definitely wanted to get one last recipe there before the last blood orange is gone! And trust me, you’re not going to want to miss this blood orange and shrimp ceviche, which will be perfect for the transition to the warmer months ahead.
Make the most of blood orange season!
Fruit towards the end of the season tends to be hit or miss. That peach at the end of September is either going to be amazing, or it’ll be mealy and gross. The apples in December are more likely than not going to be lacking in the flavor department. Blood oranges are no different, but I’ve got a (not so secret) secret to unlock more flavor, even when they’re not perfect. By adding a touch more acid, in this case with lime juice, you’ll bring balance back to those end-of-season blood oranges and they’ll taste almost like those at the peak!
Farmers Market Ingredients and Substitutions
Blood Oranges
Blood oranges are in season at the farmers market from January through April, depending on variety. Look for Sanguinelli blood oranges, which are one of the varieties that ripen the latest.
Of course, if blood oranges are no longer in season at your farmers market, you can definitely substitute with navel oranges. The flavor will be similar, but not quite the same, since navel oranges tend to be a little more acidic than blood oranges.
Wanna read more about blood oranges? I’ve got the guide right here!
Shallots
Shallots have a delicate onion flavor, somewhat between a red onion and a spring onion. They’re my go to onion-type for ceviches in general because you get enough onion flavor, but it won’t take over the entire dish. They also get a nice pickled flavor from the citrus marinade.
If you don’t have shallots available, feel free to substitute with very finely chopped red onions. The flavor of red onions is more pungent than shallots, but not overpoweringly so.
Shrimp
If you live somewhere near the coast, there’s probably a fishmonger at your local farmers market. But if not, or if shrimp aren’t part of their
For those that keep kosher or otherwise avoid shellfish, any white fish would make an excellent substitution. In this case, you won’t need to parboil the fish, making this ceviche even easier. My recommendations for this would be either snapper or sea bass; see what your fishmonger has available!
Tips and Tricks
Don’t be afraid of serving shrimp ceviche! While it can be somewhat tricky to marinate the shrimp for exactly the right amount of time, I’ve got an excellent trick to ensure the perfect ceviche every time. Parboiling the shrimp for 1-2 minutes will guarantee that the shrimp is cooked, but still absorb all the wonderful flavors of the blood orange marinade. Don’t skip this step!
Serving Suggestions
Blood Orange and Shrimp Ceviche is an excellent appetizer for any late winter or spring gathering. I recommend chopping up the shrimp into smaller pieces so you can serve the ceviche with tortilla chips. If you want to turn this into more of an entrée or main dish, though, you’ve got a few options.
First, this would make an excellent topping for a big salad. The ceviche itself is Whole30 compliant, so this is what I would do to keep things that way. Try using butter lettuce or other milder lettuces so you don’t overwhelm the blood orange flavor, which are somewhat delicate. Add some thinly sliced radishes and fennel to keep things seasonal.
Second, you could turn this into a rice bowl. Make this Cilantro Lime Rice from Downshiftology to amp up the flavor. Add some lettuce, fennel, and radishes, and you’ve got a healthy and satisfying rice bowl.
Or you could turn it into a surf-n-turf. Like I said, you’ve got options!
What about the leftovers?
Leftover Blood Orange and Shrimp Ceviche can be stored in an airtight container for up to one day in the refrigerator. I wouldn’t keep it much longer than that; even though the shrimp is fully cooked, fish just doesn’t last as long as leftovers.
Good news, though, is that this recipe is very easy to scale up or scale down depending on your needs.
Blood Orange and Shrimp Ceviche
Trust me, you'll definitely want to make this Blood Orange and Shrimp Ceviche to get the most out of blood orange season!
Ingredients
- 8oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 1 serrano pepper, finely sliced or minced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- Juice of 2 blood oranges
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the raw shrimp and cook for no more than 2 minutes. Remove shrimp immediately and transfer to an ice water bath to halt the cooking process.
- In a large bowl, add the parboiled shrimp, shallot, serrano pepper, cilantro, blood orange juice, lime juice, and olive oil. Stir to mix thoroughly. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let chill in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
- After the ceviche has marinated, mix again and add salt and pepper to taste.
