Cinco De Mayo, May 5th, is fast approaching, and I’m serving up some fun and easy appetizers to help you create a festive mood.  The Piñata is optional.

Who doesn’t love a Fiesta?  All you need is a few friends, some amazing food, and lots of cold beverages  Don’t know where to start?  Here are 2 recipes to get your Cinco De Mayo Party rockin’!

First, a Spicy Mexican Shrimp Cocktail, made with OSA Gourmet Datil Garlic Seasoning Blend and one of our amazing Datil Pepper Hot Sauces.  Next, my take on a simple layered dip, made with OSA Gourmet Datil Chipotle Steak Blend and OSA Gourmet Datil Garlic Seasoning Blend.  I left out the shredded cheddar cheese and lettuce normally in a 7 layer dip, but you can mix and match ingredients to suit your taste.  Serve in pretty little individual clear glass bowls, so everyone feels special.  (Double dipping is definitely encouraged!)

Layered Mexican Dip made with OSA Gourmet Datil Chipotle Steak Seasoning and OSA Gourmet Datil Garlic Seasoning Blend

If you prefer tacos, my Cinco De Mayo post from 2018: Cinco de Mayo Tequila-Lime Marinated Chicken Tacos might be just what you’re looking for.  You can marinate skirt steak as well for a beefy version.  But I’m on a definite seafood kick right now.  Living in St. Augustine, Florida has distinct advantages.  I can get fresh fish and shrimp, literally right off the boat.  If you live in an area where fresh seafood is not available, buy the best quality flash frozen you can get.  If your fish market sells “previously frozen” shrimp, cook and eat them as soon as possible.  Refreezing is not recommended.

I’ve said it before, but I can’t tell you enough, SMELL the shrimp or fish if you can.  My local fish market sees me coming and gets prepared to let me smell test whatever I’m thinking about buying.  If something smells really “fishy,” it is not fresh.  You want a nice salty, beachy fragrance – like fresh salt air.
Spicy Shrimp Cocktail made with OSA Gourmet Datil Garlic Seasoning Blend and Snake Bite Datil Pepper Hot Sauce.
Mexican style shrimp cocktail is refreshing and filling, spicy and tangy.  And it’s full of plump, juicy shrimp.  It’s like gazpacho, only better.  This recipe makes 12 generous servings, enough to serve a crowd at your next party.  Low in calories, and it can be made vegan by leaving out the shrimp.  Serve in chilled wine glasses or pretty parfait glasses for maximum wow effect.  Your guests will love that you took the initiative to make something special, something unique and different.  They don’t need to know that other than cooking the shrimp –  and you can buy those pre-cooked if you wish – there is little work involved, other than some chopping.

You can even use the food processor for all the chopping.  I love the feel of a well balanced knife in my hands, and the satisfaction of all those little pieces being fairly uniform in size.  Sure it takes a few minutes, but it is therapeutic, as long as you keep the knife away from your fingers!
Spicy Shrimp Cocktail made with OSA Gourmet Datil Garlic Seasoning Blend and Venom Datil Pepper Hot Sauce
The key to making this Mexican shrimp cocktail, is to have all the ingredients chilled ahead of time.  It comes together quickly, but does need to hang  out in the refrigerator for at least an hour to meld the flavors and thicken up a bit.  This is a remarkably fresh and flavorful combination of vegetables and the shrimp are the icing on the cocktail, so to speak.

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: (for shrimp) approximately 10 minutes to boil the water and then cook the shrimp

Chill Time: 1 hour (at least)

Serves: 12

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Chill Time 1 hr

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican, Seafood

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups of low-sodium V8 or Clamato juice cocktail, well chilled
• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup sweet onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
• 2 tomatoes, chopped (I used Roma)
• 1 cup cucumber, chopped (about 1 medium)
• 1/3 cup celery, diced
• 2 Tablespoons diced jalapeno, may use fresh or pickled.  (Remove seeds if you wish to decrease the heat level)
• 2 Tablespoons OSA Gourmet Datil Garlic Blend
• 2 Tablespoons OSA Gourmet Snake Bite Datil Pepper Hot Sauce (For more intense heat, use OSA Gourmet Venom Datil Pepper Hot Sauce or OSA Gourmet Stinging Lizard Scorpion Pepper and Datil Pepper Hot Sauce)
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 2 ripe avocados, diced
• Lime slices for garnish

Instructions

 

• Peel, devein and remove the tails from the shrimp.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and drop in the shrimp.
• Cook just until shrimp turn pink, about 3 minutes.
• Immediately remove shrimp with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
• Drain the water from the shrimp and pat dry.
• In a large glass bowl, whisk together the chilled V8 or Clamato juice with the ketchup.
• Add the diced onion and lime juice, cooked shrimp, tomatoes, cucumber, celery, jalapeno, the OSA Gourmet Gourmet Datil Garlic Blend, the OSA Gourmet Snake Bite Datil Pepper Hot Sauce, (or your choice of Venom Datil Pepper Hot Sauce, or Stinging LIzard Scorpion Pepper and Datil Pepper Hot Sauce)
• Stir in the chopped cilantro leaves.
• Gently add in the avocado, stirring just until combined.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
• Chill in refrigerator for at least one hour before serving.
• Ladle servings (about 2/3 cup) into chilled wine glasses or parfait glasses.
• Garnish with slices of lime and reserved shrimp, if desired.

Notes

Utensils:  Large cook pot with about 2-3 quarts of water,  slotted spoon,  large bowl of ice water to cool shrimp, large glass bowl to mix shrimp cocktail.  Wine glasses or parfait glasses, chilled, for serving.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 3/4 cup

Serves 12

AMOUNT PER SERVING
Calories		103
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2.8g		4%
	Saturated Fat 0.3g
	Trans Fat 0g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g
Cholesterol 61.2mg		20%
Sodium 513.3mg		21%
Total Carbohydrate 12.5g		4%
	Dietary Fiber 0.5g	2%
	Sugars 9.6g
Protein 8.3g		17%
Vitamin A3% Vitamin C55% Calcium3% Iron3% Vitamin D0% Vitamin E1% Vitamin K20%

Spicy Mexican Layered Dip

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Prep Time 20 mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican, Seafood

Servings 12

Ingredients

  

• 1 can (16 oz) refried beans (I used Vegetarian beans)
• 2 Teaspoons OSA Gourmet Datil Chipotle Steak Blend
• 8 oz sour cream (I used Low-Fat)
• 1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles, liquid drained
• 1 teaspoon OSA Gourmet Datil Garilc Seasoning Blend
• 1 1/2 cups guacamole
• 1 1/2 cup salsa
• about 20 ripe olives, sliced
• shredded cheese, if desired
• shredded lettuce, if desired

Instructions

 

• In a small bowl, mix the refried beans with the OSA Gourmet Datil Chipotle Steak Blend.
• Spread about 2 Tablespoons of the bean mixture in each of 12 small bowls or small clear glasses.
• Combine the sour cream OSA Gourmet Datil Garlic Seasoning Blend. and chopped green chilies.
• Spread a small amount in each of the bowls, on top of the bean mixture, making sure to take sour cream to the edges of the bowl.  (You want to see the layers.)
• Divide the guacamole among the bowls, again, making sure to push some to the edge for a pretty presentation.
• Top with salsa and sliced black olives.
• You can add shredded cheese and lettuce at this point if you wish.
• Serve with tortilla chips.

Notes

Mexican Dip (without cheese and lettuce)

Nutrition Facts

Serves 12

AMOUNT PER SERVING
Calories		109
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7.3g		11%
	Saturated Fat 2.4g
	Trans Fat 0g
	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g
Cholesterol 7.2mg		2%
Sodium 533.3mg		22%
Total Carbohydrate 8g		3%
	Dietary Fiber 2.1g	9%
	Sugars 1.2g
Protein 3.3g		7%
Vitamin A2% Vitamin C1% Calcium9% Iron2% Vitamin D1% Vitamin E1% Vitamin K2%   *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.  Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. *The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.