Caribbean-Style Seafood Fresh Tomato Appetizer

Food Service Search Staff

INGREDIENTS:10 oz. fully ripened fresh Florida tomatoes, diced
1 cup chopped cilantro
½ cup seeded and diced poblano pepper
¼ cup diced celery
2 Tbsp. chopped red onion
2 tsp. seeded and minced jalapeno pepper
1 Tbsp. salt
¼ tsp. sugar
1 lb. medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 pound squid bodies, sliced into ¼-inch rings
3 dried coconut shells, halved
as needed, tomato chips (recipe follows)
as needed, yuca chips (recipe follows) DIRECTIONS:In a bowl, combine tomatoes, cilantro, poblano, celery, red onion, jalapeno, salt and sugar. Cook shrimp in boiling water for 40 seconds. Add squid; cook just until seafood is opaque, about 20 seconds longer. Drain and cool; add seafood to tomato mixture. To plate, spoon seafood-tomato mixture into coconut halves or into lettuce cups, dividing evenly. Garnish with tomato and yuca chips.

For tomato chips: Brush a baking sheet with vegetable oil. Using a mandoline, cut I medium tomato in paper-thin slices. Arrange in a single layer on a sheet pan. Brush slices lightly with vegetable oil; lightly sprinkle with salt. Bake at 200°F until crisp, about 3 hours.

For yuca chips: Using a mandoline, cut a peeled, 5-ounce piece of yuca in paper-thin slices. In a skillet, over high heat, heat 2 cups vegetable oil. Add half of the yuca slices; fry 2 minutes, turning once; drain on paper towels and cool. Repeat with remaining yuca. Fry chips a second time until brown, about 15 seconds. SERVINGS:6 servings From:Chef Ramon Medrano,Yuca, South Beach, Florida PHOTO CREDIT:Photo Credit: FLORIDA TOMATO COMMITTEE