WHAT YOU WISH FOR: Katherine Center’s Campechana de Mariscos Seafood Cocktail Recipe
My novel, What You Wish For is set on Galveston Island in Texas, the place where I write most of my books, in a sunny little beach house by the Gulf. This is a special story for me. I grew up coming to this historic island, and it’s got a particular magic about it: Galveston is haunted by a long history of hurricanes and tragedy—but it’s also buoyed by a hard-earned resilience. It’s the perfect setting for these characters to struggle, play, and fall in love, and figure out what really matters. The yummiest Tex-Mex/seafood mashup I know of comes from a beloved restaurant in my hometown of Houston. It’s a pico de gallo and avocado-infused seafood cocktail called Campechana—invented at the iconic Goode Company Seafood in 1986. Here’s famous restauranteur Jim Goode’s recipe. You won’t believe how mouthwatering this is. My gift to you! You’re welcome. Make it, chill it, and be sure to get lots of chips to eat it with. The salty crunchiness with the chips, the cool softness of the avocadoes, and the sweet tanginess of the seafood in its tomato-y sauce—just as Houstonians know—as good as it gets. |
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Katherine Center’s Campechana de Mariscos Seafood Cocktail Recipe
Katherine Center’s Campechana de Mariscos Seafood Cocktail Recipe from Houston’s Goode Company Seafood —a refreshing, Mexican-style seafood cocktail made with pico de gallo, fire-roasted peppers, and diced avocados—her suggestion for a book club appetizer to accompany her novel, WHAT YOU WISH FOR.
For the Sauce
- 1/2 cup chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
- 1 teaspoon serrano pepper, finely diced
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 cup Clamato juice
For the vegetables
- 1/2 cup tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 1/4 teaspoon white onion, diced
- 1 cup teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the seafood
- 1/2 pound shrimp, boiled and peeled
- 1/2 pound Texas lump crabmeat
- 1 avocado, peeled and diced
- 1/2 New Mexican chile (such as Hatch; Anaheim works too), roasted, peeled, and diced
- Mix sauce ingredients well and set aside. Mix vegetables and combine with the sauce mixture. Gently fold in the seafood mixture. Chill and serve with tortilla chips.
Recipe from Houston Chronicle.