Veracruz style seafood cocktail: Vuelve a la vida

Karen Hursh Graber

This tasty, bracing concoction, one of the signature dishes of Veracruz, is served all over the country. One of the classic Mexican hangover cures, vuelve a la vida seafood cocktail brings back memories of many years ago, when we would take off from Puebla and head for Veracruz on at least three or four long weekends a year.

Use more or less chile, depending on how big a jolt you need to “come back to life.”

Ingredients

• 1 pound cooked shrimp
• ¾ pound cooked squid tentacles, cut into ¼ inch rings
• 1 pound freshest oysters, shucked and juices reserved
• 1 pound freshest clams, shucked and juice reserved
• 1-2 serrano chiles
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• ¾ cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
• ¼ cup lime juice
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup catsup
• ½ cup tomato or Clamato juice
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• Salt to taste

In a bowl, place the shrimp, squid, oysters, clams, avocado, chile, onion, cilantro and tomatoes.

Whisk together all remaining ingredients with the reserved oyster and clam juices until well blended. Pour over ingredients in the bowl.

Spoon into tall cocktail glasses and garnish with chunks or slices of avocado, and accompany with lime wedges. Makes 8 servings.