Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger’s Crab and Squid Aguachile Recipe

Serves 4 as an appetizer

Elegant, colorful, and flavorful with a feisty spice kick, this fabulous ceviche-like appetizer from the amazing Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger (who are featured in our spring issue along with more recipes) is a snap to prepare, goes great with tortilla chips and GF beer, and could easily be a mini meal all by itself.

 

1/4 pound small, fresh squid, gutted, beak removed, peeled, and rinsed

1 cup fish stock or bottled clam juice

1 cucumber, halved

1/4 bunch fresh cilantro leaves and stems

1 serrano chile, cored, seeded, and chopped

4 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 pound Alaskan King crabmeat

1/2 large avocado, peeled, seeded and cut into ¼-inch dice

1/2 mango, peeled, seeded and cut into ¼-inch dice

 

Slice squid into 1/8-inch rings and cut the heads in half. In a small pot, bring the fish stock or clam juice to a boil, taste to be sure it is well salted, and then add the squid. Bring to a simmer and turn off the heat. Let the squid finish cooking as the broth cools. Remove squid from the broth and chill thoroughly, reserving broth for another use, if desired.

Make cucumber-serrano broth: Cut a cucumber half (unpeeled) into chunks. Place it into a blender or food processor with 1 tablespoon water, the cilantro, serrano chile, lime juice, and salt, and blend until liquified. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids, transfer the liquid to a bowl, and chill thoroughly.

Peel the remaining cucumber half and cut it into ¼-inch dice. Add it to the chilled cucumber-serrano broth. Add the crabmeat, squid, avocado, and mango. Gently mix until thoroughly combined. Transfer to a serving bowl or individual bowls and serve.