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Restaurants›Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar›Seafood Avocado Cocktail Recipe

Seafood Avocado Cocktail Recipe

Inspired by Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar

Time25m

Serves4

This could very well be the ultimate seafood cocktail, served with a light-bodied sauce instead of the typical red glop. With lots of vegetables to balance the chunks of shrimp and crab, it can be served as a salad as well as a palate- and eye-pleasing appetizer.

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Ingredients

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Seafood

1 cups cooked shrimp

1 cups lump crab meat (picked free of shells)

Vegetables & Fruit

2 each ripe avocados

1/2 cups English cucumber (seeded and diced)

1/2 cups red bell pepper (small dice)

2 tbs red onion (very finely minced)

1/4 cups celery (small dice)

1/2 cups cherry tomatoes (halved)

2 tbs fresh cilantro (chopped)

6 each romaine or butter lettuce leaves (for serving, optional)

Light Cocktail Sauce

1/2 cups Greek yogurt (plain, full or low-fat)

2 tbs light mayonnaise

2 tbs Fresh lime juice

1 tsp prepared horseradish (adjust to taste)

1/2 tsp Original Worcestershire Sauce

1 dash hot sauce (such as Tabasco, optional)

1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Garnish & Finish

1 tsp lime zest

2 tbs microgreens or chopped chives

2 each thin lime wedges (for serving)

Method

Seafood Preparation

Check and chill

If using pre-cooked shrimp and crab, taste one to ensure seasoning is neutral. Pat both dry with paper towels and refrigerate until cold. Chop large shrimp into bite-sized pieces so they match the crab in size.

Place the measured shrimp (1 cup) and lump crab meat (1 cup) in a medium mixing bowl. Gently toss to combine, taking care not to break up the crab lumps.

Vegetables & Avocado

Prepare the produce. Peel and seed the cucumber, then dice to yield about 1/2 cup. Dice 1/2 cup red bell pepper, mince 2 tablespoons red onion, dice 1/4 cup celery, and halve 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes. Chop 2 tablespoons cilantro and set vegetables aside in a bowl.

Halve the avocados lengthwise, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh into 1/2-inch cubes. To prevent browning, toss the avocado cubes gently with 1 teaspoon of the lime juice from the sauce step (reserve remaining lime juice for the sauce).

Combine vegetables and avocado with the seafood: add the cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, celery, tomatoes, cilantro, and avocado to the bowl with the shrimp and crab. Gently fold to combine.

Light Cocktail Sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt and 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise until smooth.

Add 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 dash hot sauce (optional), 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Whisk until well combined and taste; adjust salt, horseradish or hot sauce to preference. The sauce should be bright, slightly tangy and creamy but light-bodied.

If sauce is too thick, thin with up to 1 tablespoon cold water or another small squeeze of lime juice to reach a loose, pourable consistency.

Reserve 2 tablespoons of the sauce for drizzling/garnish. Add the remaining sauce to the seafood-vegetable mixture and toss very gently to coat evenly without mashing the avocado or breaking crab lumps.

Assembly & Serve

Taste and adjust seasoning: add additional salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lime if needed.

If serving as appetizers, spoon the mixture into chilled lettuce cups or small glasses. For a plated salad, mound on a bed of torn romaine or butter lettuce leaves.

Drizzle reserved 2 tablespoons of sauce over each portion. Garnish with 1 teaspoon lime zest, 2 tablespoons microgreens or chopped chives, and a thin lime wedge on the side.

Serve immediately so avocado stays fresh. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 12 hours but may become slightly watery as juices develop; stir gently before serving.