Recipe: Prawn Aguachile
Light, fresh and exactly what you want to eat in the sunshine, this salad from the Sazón cooking school at Casa de Sierra Nevada in San Miguel de Allende brings together quintessential Mexican ingredients.
Not dissimilar to a seafood ceviche, Aguachile – meaning ‘chili water’ – is a Mexican starter that originated in the coastal state of Sinaloa, but can be found on menus across the country. Using the freshest catch from the local pescadería, chefs toss plump raw prawns with citrussy aromatics to create a piquant and fresh Mexican salad. This version, from Casa de Sierra Nevada, is easy to recreate wherever in theworld you are.
Photography by Matt Russell
Ingredients
- 16-20 large raw prawns, shelled, cleaned and deveined
- 8 limes, juiced
- 6 coriander sprigs, bruised
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 1 habanero pepper
- 1 serrano pepper
- 1⁄4 white onion
- 5 epazote leaves
- ½ Mexican pepper leaf
- 1 Persian cucumber, cubed
- 1⁄4 red onion, julienned
- Corn chips to serve
Instructions
Step 1 / 4
Cut the peeled and cleaned prawns in half lengthwise and place them in a bowl with the lime juice, coriander and salt and pepper. Mix to combine, cover and leave for 10 minutes in the fridge.
Step 2 / 4
Meanwhile, char the garlic and habanero on an open flame until mostly blackened and leave to cool. Strain the prawns, making sure to keep the marinade, and set aside in a large bowl.
Step 3 / 4
Put the lime juice and coriander marinade in a blender with the charred garlic, charred habanero pepper, serrano pepper, onion and both types of leaf. Blitz until smooth and pour over the prawns. Mix to combine.
Step 4 / 4
Add in the cucumber and red onion and toss everything together. Serve your Mexican starter with corn chips.
A CULINARY ESCAPE TO MEXICO
A collection of historic casas in the heart of San Miguel de Allende, Casa de Sierra Nevada invites you to discover vibrant Mexican culture as you connect with local nature, art and gastronomy.
Within our hotel, master the art of the Mexican kitchen at Sazón cooking school. Follow our experts into the kitchen of our magnificent 18th-century mansion and learn the secret to creating bold and authentic regional flavors with authentic Mexican recipes.
You might also enjoy
The Wellness Trends to Travel For in 2026
From longevity retreats and contrast therapy to ancient ceremonies and community-led healing, these are the wellness travel trends redefining how, why and where we journey in 2026.
An Insider’s Guide to Florence
While Florence has one foot rooted in Renaissance splendour, the other strides out into a future filled with some of the world’s finest food, music and fashion. Make your base at Villa San Michele, then explore our guide to the city’s best kept secrets.
Interview: Meet Thebe Magugu
Thebe Magugu is one of South Africa’s most celebrated fashion designers and he’s now making his first foray into interior design at Belmond’s Cape Town landmark, Mount Nelson. We sat down with the prolific polymath to hear about the care and craft behind his suite design, as well as his vision for a new cultural institute to sit alongside it.
What to Wear in the Mexican Caribbean
There is something about a tropical climate that instantly lifts your mood – so dress to match your serotonin levels. Style expert Osman Ahmed leads us through the do’s and don’ts of a tropical holiday to the Caribbean coast of Mexico, as part of our ‘Location Dressing’ series.
The Gelato of Madeira
Discover how the team at Reid's Palace, Funchal, transposed the island’s abundance of tropical fruits and liqueurs into the perfect scoop at Gelateria San Giorgio.
Recipe: Esquites with Marrow
A touch of decadence in a single-serving cup, these esquites with bone marrow are a reminder that Mexican street food doesn’t always need to be minimal or pure – it can also be fun, a little wild and exactly what you want when the day gets too serious.
Where Nature Blossoms into Art
Discover how artist Anna Deller-Yee reinterprets Belmond’s iconic gardens – from bergamot to jasmine – in a limited-edition festive candle and trinket tray celebrating global biodiversity.