Shrimp Vuelve a la Vida

This is the recipe we make at our restaurant Ensenada, which is very close to my heart. It’s the perfect marriage between the style of seafood cocktail I grew up eating on the coasts of my home country, Venezuela, and what I’ve tried in the Northern Baja region in Mexico, more specifically in Ensenada. The Venezuelan version is also known as rompe colchones or siete potencias, literally “mattress breaker” or “seven potencies,” in reference to its aphrodisiac properties. Along the Caribbean coast we find this vuelve to be a little thicker and more ketchup-y, whereas the Mexican Baja-style is usually a little less sweet and more watered down with a stronger kick of lime juice. Vuelve a la vida translates to “come back to life,” so naturally it’s a great cocktail to make on a hot summer day after a night of heavy drinking. —Luis Herrera