Agua Chile?

[Stuart]

Anybody know of a restaurant in Penasco that has this on the menu and does it right? I had it made by a very good Mexican cook in Lobos this past weekend in the traditional mole bowl. Wow, I was truly impressed and wondered how I've missed out on it all these years. Just not something I recall seeing on a menu anywhere in Penasco.

 

[Stuart]

This is same exact aguachile Fermin (the cook) made for us - had shrimp in it, but could have scallops, snails, octopus, fish. Whatever you preferred, I suppose. This video is dead-on how he made it. Looks like I'll be be buying some molcajete bowls next trip and making my own!

[video=youtube;2HZYMKCnedI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HZYMKCnedI[/video]

 

[InkaRoads]

OK Stuart, this is what I found out, a few places do sell aguachile in Penasco, however there are two types the one made in a regular plate and then the molcajete aguachile, for what I was explain they both are the same with the difference that the molcajete tents to be hotter, has a lot more chile, as you have found out by your video.
Aguachile can be made of many different seafood and basically is what we, way down south as in south america, call a ceviche any seafood that is cooked or partiaslly cooked in the juice of limes.
Just make sure that when you order your order "aguachile al molcajete", the one place I saw advertising it was Rocky Point Beach Club, the yellow building across from Gamma's at the end of Calle 13 towards Penasco del Sol and also the 2 small "marisquerias" towards the port in Venunciano Carranza, the street that intersect Calle 13 and have the traffic light

 

[CJ*]

Stu! This is not EXACTLY what Fermin makes! We have tried Aguachile all over and found the recipes vary from family to family, place to place! Some are not nearly as good as Fermin's - his is the best in our opinion! Fermin learned to make AguaChile from his "Tias". They own the two Aguachile stands just south (east?) of the Mayan Palace on the road to Caborca. One is called Aguachile La Torre and the other is just past it and is painted white with red trim. Can't remember the name, but it has a big Coca Cola logo painted on it. To me, they are a close 2nd to Fermin's Aguachile!!! I have also had some Aguachile in other places that is nothing like Fermin's... and not nearly as good!

I have taken copious notes and even video'd Fermin in the little kitchen of the rock casita in Lobos - just so we could try to repeat it at home! Btw, I bought a couple of the lava grinder bowls and pestles at Vasquez's up in Sonoyta. There were $20 each. Fermin got his in Caborca and told me he paid $18 each I think... Anyway - here are the notes on how Fermin does it: He first grinds up to a paste - Chile Arbols, Chile Pequens, garlic cloves and rock salt. For medium heat, he uses two of each and he also roasts his chiles before hand for the smokey flavor. Then he squeezes the lime juice and mixes that all together. Next he adds the seafood to simmer in the lime/chile sauce. He slices his shrimp and scallops - doesn't put them in whole. He also uses par-boiled octopus, carcoal (all sliced too). After about 20 minutes of soaking in the lime, he adds chilled clamato, sliced purple onion, and diced avocado. That's all! The chiles and the garlic are what dictate all the flavor and he customizes it for your tastes. I like mine kinda medium hot. I also have him add some chopped cilantro at the end to float around in mine because I love cilantro. Ted's not big on that in the Aguachile, but I am. We have made this at home and the issue there is nothing beats the sweet fresh flavor of shrimp and scallops right outta the Port of Wolves! I have also tried adding a dash of cumin to the mix and I like that too - but again, Ted doesn't. He is a purist when it comes to Aguachile de Fermin!

FYI, don't throw out any left over soup, overnight in the fridge and added to cold beer the next day is REALLY GOOD TOO!!!!!!

 

[Stuart]

Thanks!

Thanks, CJ! I'll be happy if I can come close to what Fermin makes!! Finding that video was a great start, but you have filled in the details, which is great!

 

[CJ*]

Aguachile de Fermin!

 

[jerry]

Pepsi served at this one on the road to caborca...real good

 

[Stuart]

Now my mouth is really watering... as I jet across the country to Orlando. Hey, this inflight Wi-Fi works really well!

 

[rockyptjoe]

Thanks, CJ! I'll be happy if I can come close to what Fermin makes!! Finding that video was a great start, but you have filled in the details, which is great!

Hey Stuart....the spanish was beyond me in the video...but I didn't see that the shrimp was left to "cook" in the lime juice for any length of time????

 

[CJ*]

20 minutes in the lime juice is plenty of time for the raw shrimp and scallops RPJ!

 

[rockyptjoe]

Thanks CJ...I must have missed that portion....only saw him pour the lime juice on, mix everything, then make the "presentation of sliced cuc(???)....

 

[CJ*]

RPJ, the version of the Aguachile in the video... well... it doesn't look much like what Fermin makes for us in Lobos. If you read my post above - I detail the steps that Fermin takes as I have studied him closely to try to repeat it! You can buy the Chile Pequins and Chile Arbols, dried and in little sacks at any Food City or even my Bashas - although I haven't seen both available at other Bashas. The clamato I think, would be essential and the Video guy doesn't use it at all! Fermin also slices all his seafood which makes it a bit easier to eat and also, I think give more surface area to the seafood to marinate in all the yummy stuff. Fermin roasts his chiles too which gives his a unique smokey kind of flavor. While Fermin does it, he lets the seafood simmer about 20 minutes in the lime juice mixture and THEN right before serving, mixes in the onion (he uses purple), avocado and clamato. BTW, we have tried it with previous frozen seafood and cooked seafood from the stores at home and it's good... but not NEARLY as good as the fresh stuff. That kinda goes without saying...! Let me know if you guys try it! It's delicious and has to be good for you!!!

 

[rockyptjoe]

Twenty minutes should be fine for sliced up seafoood....the way the guy in the video did it, it was not well covered in the lime juice....it looked more like putting dressing on a salad.

 

[AZ ROB]

All I can say is MMMMMmmmmmm can't wait to try it

 

[moore_rb]

My wife, who is deathly alergic to seafood (but she married a fisherman- go figure) is at her book club tonight, so guess what I'm making for dinner...

I had just enough Clamato left over after making Cocktel de Camorone last week, so I thought I'd try Fermin's aguachile recipe.

I'm using shrimp, scallop, and a small piece of Pinto Bass.

 

[InkaRoads]

my understanding is that aguachile does not have tomato juice of any type or kind it otherwise is call something else.

 

[CJ*]

According to Fermin, Aguachile recipes are unique to families and his tias taught him how to make it with clamato. We have sampled aguachiles in our travels around Mexico and found they vary drastically from place to place! We happen to like Fermin's the best and his use of clamato makes for a very tasty base to the soup. The Red & White Aguachile stands south of town are owned by Fermin's tias and their Aguachiles come with clamato base.