Red Argentine Shrimp and Mandarin Pico Tostadas

Poached shrimp, garden tomatoes, jalapeños, and sweet mandarins, piled onto crisp, Tajín-seasoned toasted corn tortillas.

Some afternoons make you want to pull up another chair and stay awhile. This was one of them.

Out-of-town family was over, we were catching up, and the day couldn’t have been better. The garden was still giving me tomatoes and jalapeños, and the afternoon sun had enough warmth to make you forget fall had officially arrived. Summer was clearly keeping a few things on the calendar.

It was one of those days when you feel completely at ease. Good company, plenty to talk about, and nowhere else you’d rather be. The conversation wanders into “what if we…” territory, and suddenly a few new possibilities sound pretty good.

Naturally, I started thinking about something to eat.

With tomatoes and jalapeños ready to go, pico de gallo was an easy starting point. Then came the shrimp, avocado, and mandarins, and things got a little more interesting. Sweet Argentine red shrimp, a little jalapeño heat, fresh lime, and those juicy pieces of mandarin orange—all piled onto crisp corn tortillas brushed with avocado oil and sprinkled with Tajín. One whole shrimp on top finished each one.

I served two apiece to family with West Coast palates, and they loved them. We kept eating, kept talking, and let the afternoon take its time.

That’s a pretty good day in my book.

Jump to Recipe ↓

A Little Twist on Pico de Gallo

The tomatoes, white onion, jalapeños, cilantro, and lime give this its familiar pico de gallo starting point. Mandarin juice softens the lime’s sharpness, while the segments add little bursts of sweetness. Avocado brings some creaminess, and chopped shrimp makes each tostada feel substantial enough for a small plate.

I like using both red and green jalapeños here. They look good alongside the tomatoes and citrus, and when they’re growing in the garden, I’m going to use them. Taste yours before adding the full amount—the heat can vary quite a bit.

The Tajín on the tortillas brings another touch of chile and lime. A light sprinkle is plenty.

Poached Shrimp and Mandarin Pico Tostadas

Poached Argentine red shrimp, mandarin pico, avocado, and baked Tajín tostadas.

Yield 10 tostadas

Cook Time 11-minute poach; 5–6-minute bake

Servings 5 (2 tostadas each)

Ingredients

For the Poached Shrimp

• 20 frozen, shell-on Argentine red shrimp, 10–13 count per pound
• Water to cover the shrimp generously
• Juice of 1 lemon, plus the washed peel, quartered
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

For the Baked Tostadas

• 12 small corn tortillas
• Avocado oil, for lightly brushing
• Tajín, for sprinkling

For the Mandarin Pico

• 2 plum tomatoes, cored, small dice
• ¼ cup finely diced red and green jalapeños, combined
• ¼ cup finely diced white onion
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• Juice of ½ lime
• Juice of 2 mandarins
• Segments of 2 additional mandarins, peeled and seeded, each segment cut into thirds
• 1 ripe avocado, cut into small dice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Poach the Shrimp

1. Fill a pot with enough water to cover the shrimp generously. Add the lemon juice and peel, bay leaves, and kosher salt. Bring to a gentle boil.
2. Add the frozen, shell-on shrimp, remove the pot from the heat, and cover. My batch took about 11 minutes. Timing will vary with the shrimp’s size and the amount of water, so check the thickest shrimp: the flesh should be firm and opaque throughout.
3. Transfer immediately to an ice bath. Once chilled, drain, peel, remove the tails, and devein if needed. Pat thoroughly dry. Reserve 10 whole shrimp for topping and finely chop the remaining 10.

Bake the Tortillas

4. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly brush the corn tortillas with avocado oil and sprinkle with Tajín. Arrange 6 tortillas in a single layer on two baking trays.
5. Bake for 5–6 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through. Remove from the oven and flip each tortilla over onto the hot tray. Allow them to cool on the trays.

Mix the Pico

6. Combine the tomatoes, jalapeños, white onion, cilantro, chopped shrimp, lime juice, and mandarin juice in a bowl. Fold in the mandarin pieces and avocado until everything is evenly mixed.
7. Season with salt and pepper. Taste a spoonful with a piece of seasoned tortilla before adding more salt.

Assemble and Serve

8. Just before serving, spoon the shrimp pico onto the cooled tostadas, leaving excess liquid in the bowl. Top each with one whole shrimp and serve immediately.

Chef’s Notes

• Dry the shrimp well: After the ice bath and peeling, give them a good blot with paper towels. You want the citrus juices doing the seasoning.
• Cut small and fold together: Keep the vegetables finely diced, the avocado in small pieces, and each mandarin segment cut into thirds. Fold well enough to bring the mixture together without mashing it into a purée.
• Watch the tomatoes’ moisture: Plum tomatoes work well here. If yours are especially juicy, let the chopped tomatoes drain briefly before mixing.
• Get a little ahead: Poach, peel, and chop the shrimp earlier in the day and refrigerate until needed. Prep the vegetables separately, then add the citrus and avocado closer to serving. Fill the tostadas at the last minute for the best crunch.

These are going back on the table while the garden still has something to say about it. Ten tostadas worked for five of us—but next time I'll make more.

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