Campechana

Name: Campechana
Yield: serves 8 to 10 as a main course; double that as an appetizer
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups); 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped; 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped; 6 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1 1/2 pounds extra-large (16/20 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined; 1 (28-ounce) can Rotel tomatoes (see Tip, page 138), or Muir Glen fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles; 1 (12-ounce) bottle V8 juice; 2/3 cup tomato ketchup; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1 medium lime); 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon); 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish; 1 pound lump crabmeat; 4 ripe avocados; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley; Lime wedges, for accompaniment; Tortilla chips, for accompaniment

December 14, 2011

The origin of the name campechana is a mystery, but just about every Texan I know loves this cool, tomatoey seafood cocktail stocked with plump chunks of ripe avocado and served with a pile of crisp tortilla chips. (I hear it is big in some parts of California, too.) I got stuck on campechana at a place run by legendary Houston restaurateur Jim Goode. He parlayed a small Texas barbecue joint into a homegrown restaurant dynasty that includes a Tex-Mex eatery and two Gulf Coast seafood spots. Campechana is incredibly versatile. As an appetizer, serve in long-stemmed glasses set on plates and surrounded with tortilla chips for dipping. Serve as a main course in a huge bowl, surrounded by chips. Offer individual bowls and let guests ladle up servings themselves. For outdoor or beachside festivities, transport in a large plastic container set in a cooler and serve in clear acrylic stemmed glasses or in disposable plastic glasses. Don’t forget plenty of chips.

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