Aguachile Negro
User Reviews
5
Aguachile Negro
Description
This Aguachile Negro recipe begins by charring white onion quarters and unpeeled garlic on a hot griddle until blackened, which lends a smoky flavor to the sauce. These are blended with lime juice, Maggi seasoning, soy sauce, black pepper, black garlic if used, and water to create a dark, tangy, and savory marinade. Meanwhile, red onions are pickled briefly with lime juice and salt to soften their bite and add brightness.
Raw scallops and sliced cucumber are combined with this sauce, allowing the acidity and seasoning to slightly cure the seafood and vegetables. The dish is garnished with diced avocado, chopped cilantro, pickled onions, and crushed chiltepin chilies, which add fresh heat and complexity. The smoky elements from the charred vegetables complement the bright citrus and spicy notes.
Aguachile Negro is traditionally eaten fresh, best served immediately with tostadas or tortilla chips that add a pleasant crunch. Using high-quality, sushi-grade scallops is critical for food safety and flavor. The recipe also mentions the option of adding Yucatecan recado negro paste for an additional layer of smoky complexity if available.
Black garlic can be sourced at specialty markets or omitted. If chiltepin chilies aren’t accessible, any crushed hot pepper or fresh serranos can substitute. The pickling of red onions helps mellow harshness and enhance texture. The precise charring of onions and garlic is important to develop the deep flavor profile characteristic of this dish.
Ingredients
- 1 onion quartered, white
- 1 clove garlic unpeeled
- 1 red onion sliced thin
- 2/3 cup lime juice divided
- salt
- black pepper
- 3 tablespoons Maggi seasoning
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 garlic cloves optional, black
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 pound scallops
- 1 cucumber sliced, English variety
- 1 avocado diced
- 3 tablespoons cilantro chopped
- chiltepin chile to taste
Instructions
- Heat a comal or griddle or cast iron skillet over high heat. When its hot, char the onion and the garlic clove well. When both cut sides of the onion quarters are blackened, roughly chop and put unto a blender. Peel the garlic and put the clove in the blender.
- While the onion is charring, mix in some salt with the sliced red onion and toss with about 1/4 cup of the lime juice. Let this sit in a bowl until you are ready to serve. Doing this quick pickles the onion and removes any sulfur bite to it.
- Add the rest of the lime juice, Maggi, soy, about 1 teaspoon black pepper, the black garlic cloves, if using, and the water to the blender and puree everything.
- Toss the scallops and cucumber with the sauce and put some on everyone's plates. Add the avocado, the red onions, the cilantro and crushed chiltepin chiles. Serve at once.
Notes
- Use high-quality, sushi-grade scallops for best flavor and food safety.
- Black garlic is optional and can be purchased online or at Trader Joe's; omit if unavailable.
- If dried chiltepin chiles are unavailable, use crushed hot peppers or fresh serranos in the marinade.
- Quick-pickle the red onions with lime juice and salt to reduce raw bite and add brightness.
- Serve the dish immediately with tostadas or tortilla chips to maintain texture contrast.
- Add Yucatecan recado negro paste to the blender for a deeper smoky flavor if you have it.
- Be sure to char the cut sides of the white onion quarters well to develop essential smoky notes.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 214 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 214kcal | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 21g | 7% |
| Protein | 18g | 36% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 27mg | 9% |
| Sodium | 1208mg | 50% |
| Potassium | 753mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 197IU | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 24mg | 27% |
| Calcium | 51mg | 5% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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