My Spiced Shrimp and Guacamole Bucket is the summer appetizer you’ve been dreaming of! It’s decadent enough to make a run-of-the-mill party more special, but it’s incredibly easy to make! You’ll knock the socks off your guests…that is, if you’re willing to share. This will be your go-to appetizer for the Fourth of July and beyond!
So what inspired this recipe? One of my favorite memories from when I was a child is of sitting outside in Central Park in the summer with my mother and her friends. I think we ate at what was then Tavern on the Green. I remember dining outside, trees adorned with small twinkling lights, our round table on a patio overlooking a beautiful garden.
The only thing I remember about the menu was the mammoth bucket of ice placed on the table with huge shrimp (can’t recall if they were peeled), lemons, and a heaping bowl of guacamole. (Who the heck had ever seen guacamole in the early 60’s?) Swirling the ice-cold shrimp into the guacamole was just over the top.
That leads me to my next thought. How about a nice cold bucket of spiced shrimp and guacamole on a deck, on a beach, on a porch with some beer or margaritas for Happy Hour on a Friday night? It’s just perfect for the Fourth of July, a Labor Day gathering, or any other special summer fete. Just saying…you could become very popular. And, a side of Tostitos Scoops is an indispensable addition! Oh, that crunch in contrast to the smooth guac!
When it is party time, fill a large clean bucket with ice about three-quarters full. (I found this one at the Dollar Store and yes, it cost only ONE DOLLAR!). It’s very nautical with its rope handle. You could use any other kind of bucket or make this in individual childrens’ sand pails. However, I don’t recommend a metal bucket you buy at the hardware store for moping floors because that will send the WRONG (unappetizing!) MESSAGE.
Once you’ve got your bucket filled with ice, just place the spiced shrimp on top. Leave some room in the corner for your guacamole bowl, and you have a beautiful, delicious appetizer that’s ready to go in no time.
Icy Spiced Shrimp and Guacamole Bucket
Best-ever shrimp & guacamole bucket
Ingredients
Guacamole
- 1/2 sweet yellow onion like Vidalia
- 4 ripe avocados
- 2 limes juiced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin I like Penzy’s
- 1 large tomato seeded and cut into large pieces
- 8 oz container Breakstone Reduced Fat Sour Cream also can use regular full fat
- 1 bag blue tortilla chips
Spiced Shrimp
- 1 /12 lbs medium shrimp peeled and deveined
For the spice bag
- 1 tbsp whole juniper berries
- 1 tbsp whole allspice
- 2 tsp whole white peppercorns
- 2 springs parsley
- 1/4 c salt for the water Kosher
- 2 in bay leaves broken in half
- 10 springs parsley
Instructions
Guacamole
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Turn on broiler. On the top rack of the oven placed in the top position, put the poblano pepper on the rack. Broil the pepper until it is blackened on all sides, watching carefully and turning to char all sides. Remove from oven and put in a plastic bag, sealed. Set aside to steam so skin will loosen while you make the guacamole.
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In a large food processor, add the yellow onion, cut in large chunks. Pulse until very coarsely chopped. Add the peeled and seeded poblano pepper.
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Add the avocados, the lime juice, salt and cumin. Pulse the ingredients 4 times just to form a chunky mixture. You do not want to puree the guacamole.
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Add the tomato and pulse until just mixed in. Finally, add the sour cream and pulse until it is mixed but no more than 4-5 times. The sour cream will prevent the guacamole from turning dark.
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Spoon the guacamole into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Spiced Shrimp
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Fill a large saucepan halfway with water. Add the salt and bring to a boil. This may seem like a lot of salt but you have to let the shrimp “go home” to the salt water in which they were raised. Seriously, don’t skimp on the salt or the shrimp will be bland.
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Make a bag out of cheesecloth by cutting a large square of cloth just large enough to put the parsley and the broken bay leaves and whole spices. It is important to break the bay leaves to release their flavor. Bring the corners of the cloth to the center and tie with cotton string. Throw the bag into the boiling, salted water, turn the heat down to medium, and let it cook for 15 minutes. It is important that the spices boil in the water for awhile so that the water gets infused with the spice mixture. A quick dunking will not do anything to flavor the shrimp so be patient and let the bag just hang out.
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Once the water is nice and dark from the spices, turn the heat up to high and let it come back to a full boil. Add the shrimp all at once. Wait 4 minutes until the water boils and turn off the heat. Put the top on the pan and set the shrimp aside for 5 minutes. They will be perfectly cooked. Drain the shrimp and toss them all into a large bowl full of ice. Set aside to construct the bucket. If you are not serving the shrimp and guacamole bucket right away, remove the shrimp from the ice and refrigerate them until ready to serve.
Recipe Notes
The guacamole can be quickly whipped together after cooking the shrimp. Also note that you will need one fresh Poblano pepper to roast. I didn’t add it to the ingredient list because I forgot it and I am still learning how to use all of the technical tools! Be patient. I will get all this down once I practice!
Hi Jane,
It’s Lisa Waldman. I don’t have a current email address or cell number for you. I’m going to be in Cincinnati at the beginning of August, and wondered if we’d be able to see each other. Looking forward to hearing from you.😊