Recipes
Saganaki-Inspired Shrimp Ceviche
Tomato, feta, and ouzo make a flavorful marinade for this chilled seafood dish reminiscent of the Greek pan-fried appetizer.
- Serves
4
- Time
45 minutes
At Mezen, chef Greg Chelmis’ ceviche is a playful spin on the Greek classic saganaki, a traditionally baked or pan-fried dish that marries shrimp and feta in an ouzo-flamed tomato sauce. Topped with dredged and fried shrimp legs, this recipe highlights the head-to-tail, zero-waste ethos of many Volos tsipouradika. Be sure your shell-on shrimp still have their forelegs intact, as these will become the ceviche’s crispy topping. The larger forelegs are attached to a piece of shell right beneath the head; do your best to keep these connected while peeling the shrimp.
Featured in “At These Greek Taverns, Order a Drink and the Rest Will Follow” by Derek Sandhaus in the Spring/Summer 2025 issue. See more stories from Issue 204 here.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. head-on, shell-on jumbo shrimp (about 16–25)
- ¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp. ouzo
- ½ garlic clove, finely chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
- 1 lb. tomatoes, grated
- 1 tsp. tomato paste
- ½ small onion, finely chopped
- ½ small green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
- ½ small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
- Dried oregano
- Crumbled feta and coarsely chopped cilantro, for serving
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Instructions
Step 1
Twist off the heads from the shrimp, squeezing any juices into a small bowl. Remove the small knob with the legs attached from each head and place in a separate small bowl, discarding the rest of the head. Peel the shrimp then remove the vein: Run the tip of a paring knife down the back of the body just beneath the surface, then use the tip to lift out the vein. Halve the bodies lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into two pieces. Set aside in a medium bowl.
Step 2
To the bowl with the shrimp juices, add the lemon juice, ouzo, garlic, and ½ teaspoon of salt and stir to combine. Transfer 2 tablespoons of this mixture to the bowl with the shrimp legs, then pour the rest into the bowl of shrimp bodies. Toss both to coat well.
Step 3
Place the flour in a shallow dish. Add the shrimp legs and toss to coat. To a small skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of the oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the legs and cook, turning halfway through, until crisp and golden brown, about 3 minutes total. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
Step 4
Place a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and add the tomatoes to drain, about 3 minutes. Discard the liquid. Transfer the tomato solids to a medium bowl along with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, the tomato paste, onion, both bell peppers, 1 tablespoon of salt, a pinch of oregano, and black pepper to taste. Strain and discard any liquid from the shrimp bodies, then add the shrimp to the tomato mixture and toss to coat. Transfer the ceviche to a wide bowl. Drizzle with oil, top with feta, cilantro, black pepper, and the reserved shrimp legs, and serve.
- Twist off the heads from the shrimp, squeezing any juices into a small bowl. Remove the small knob with the legs attached from each head and place in a separate small bowl, discarding the rest of the head. Peel the shrimp then remove the vein: Run the tip of a paring knife down the back of the body just beneath the surface, then use the tip to lift out the vein. Halve the bodies lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into two pieces. Set aside in a medium bowl.
- To the bowl with the shrimp juices, add the lemon juice, ouzo, garlic, and ½ teaspoon of salt and stir to combine. Transfer 2 tablespoons of this mixture to the bowl with the shrimp legs, then pour the rest into the bowl of shrimp bodies. Toss both to coat well.
- Place the flour in a shallow dish. Add the shrimp legs and toss to coat. To a small skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of the oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the legs and cook, turning halfway through, until crisp and golden brown, about 3 minutes total. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
- Place a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and add the tomatoes to drain, about 3 minutes. Discard the liquid. Transfer the tomato solids to a medium bowl along with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, the tomato paste, onion, both bell peppers, 1 tablespoon of salt, a pinch of oregano, and black pepper to taste. Strain and discard any liquid from the shrimp bodies, then add the shrimp to the tomato mixture and toss to coat. Transfer the ceviche to a wide bowl. Drizzle with oil, top with feta, cilantro, black pepper, and the reserved shrimp legs, and serve.
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