Vuelve a la Vida (Seafood Cocktail) with Wild Chiltepin

Vuelve a la vida is the classic seafood cocktail of northern Mexico: a mix of shrimp, octopus, conch and oysters in a spicy citrus sauce. The Sonoran version uses wild chiltepin instead of industrial hot sauce, which completely changes the profile - more complex, fresher, less dominated by vinegar.

Ingredients

• 200 g cooked peeled shrimp
• 150 g cooked octopus, diced
• 100 g conch or scallop
• 6 fresh shucked oysters
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 1/2 cup Clamato
• Juice of 3 fresh limes
• 2 tablespoons La Yaquiyori chiltepin hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 avocado, sliced
• Salt to taste
• Saltine crackers to serve

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix tomato juice, Clamato, lime juice, La Yaquiyori chiltepin sauce and Worcestershire. Season with salt and taste - it should be citrusy, salty and noticeably spicy.

2. Add the seafood: shrimp, octopus, conch or scallop, and the oysters with their liquor. Stir carefully.

3. Add red onion, tomato, cucumber and fresh cilantro. Mix gently and refrigerate 10 minutes so flavors integrate.

4. Serve in wide goblets or large bowls with avocado slices on top, more chiltepin sauce to taste and saltine crackers on the side.

Variations

If you cannot find conch, substitute with extra shrimp or use scallop. For a milder version, reduce to 1 tablespoon of chiltepin sauce. For more depth, add a few drops of Maggi seasoning.