Shrimp-Avocado and Grilled Steak Tostadas

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Celebrate Cinco de Mayo by cooking up something spicy with your choice of two tostadas. Crisp, crunchy corn tortillas loaded with your favorite toppings make the perfect meal and they’re a cinch to make at home. Quick ancho chile marinated shrimp give Shrimp Avocado Tostadas a wonderfully smoky flavor. Spooned over a bed of creamy avocado, they’re an easy meal that’s full of flavor. Or, layer crunchy tostadas with tender slices of coffee-chili marinated grilled steak. Topped with fresh cilantro, Cotija cheese, grilled onions and pickled jalapeños, Grilled Steak Tostadas are another easy to make option.

For the Shrimp Avocado Tostadas, I used a bag of large peeled and deveined frozen shrimp. To quickly thaw, place your shrimp in a 9×13-inch baking dish and cover them completely with very cold water. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes until shrimp are fully thawed, then transfer to a colander to drain and rinse with cold running water. Next, transfer shrimp to a pasta bowl or pie plate, and refrigerate until you are ready to marinate. 

You can buy packaged tostada shells that only need reheating, but once you see how easy and delicious it is to make your own, you won’t want them any other way. Lightly brush or spray corn tortillas on both sides with any cooking oil you prefer. (I like using olive for it’s health benefits.) Place tortillas on a large baking sheet, lightly salt, and bake in a 400º F oven. Cook the first side for 5 minutes, but keep an eye on them after you turn them as they can get overcooked quickly. Once they’re light golden brown remove them. They will firm up even more once they have cooled. Not all corn tortillas are gluten-free, so be sure to check the label. 

If you have extra tostada shells, store them in an airtight container or ziplock bag and leave them on the counter or in a cupboard at room temperature for up to 1 week. They will stay crispy when stored correctly, but don’t refrigerate them or they’ll get soggy. 

Get the most from your citrus squeezer. Cut your lime in half and then cut the pointed end off each half. Doing so exposes the citrus pulp on both sides of your lime. Juice your lime as usual, but after squeezing, turn it over in the juicer and squeeze it again. You’ll be amazed how much more juice you’ll get this way. 

If you can’t find flank steak, skirt steak is a good substitute. I keep packets of Starbucks Via in my pantry. Besides making a quick cup whenever you need one, I keep one or two in my purse so I know I can always get a good cup of coffee. I like to use them for cooking, too. If you don’t have leftover brewed coffee, you can use about half a packet of Starbucks Via dissolved in 1/2 cup of water.

Say olé and make some delicious crunchy tostadas to celebrate! For more Cinco de Mayo inspiration, go to https://blogs.columbian.com/home-made. 

Shrimp-Avocado Tostadas

• 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 3 1/2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 3 limes), divided, plus wedges for serving
• 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for brushing on tortillas
• 1 large clove garlic, roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 12 corn tortillas (gluten-free if needed)
• 3 avocados
• 1 scallion, green part only, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• sour cream and diced tomato, for topping

Toast chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat, turning often, until they soften slightly, about 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl and cover with hot water; let sit 15 minutes.

Transfer chiles and 3 tablespoons of the soaking water to a mini food processor or blender. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the lime juice, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the garlic, oregano, cumin and 1/4 teaspoon each of the cayenne and salt; puree until almost smooth. Toss with the shrimp in a pasta bowl or pie plate; refrigerate 15 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400º F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange tortillas in a single layer onto both sheets, then lightly brush with olive oil. Flip tortillas over and brush other side with olive oil, then sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake for 5 minutes; flip and bake another 3-5 minutes on other side until tortillas are crispy.  

Halve and pit avocados; scoop flesh into a bowl and mash. Mix in 1 1/2 tablespoons of the lime juice, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, the cilantro and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until just opaque, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and drizzle with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon lime juice.

To serve:  Spread the mashed avocado mixture on the tostadas. Top with the shrimp, some sour cream and diced tomato, and the scallion greens. Serve with lime wedges.

Grilled Steak Tostadas

• 1/4 cup brewed coffee, at room temperature
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak, cut into 4 equal pieces
• 8 fresh corn tortillas (gluten-free if needed)
• 1 red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
• 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
• Sliced avocado, Mexican crema, crumbled Cotija cheese, pickled jalapeños, shredded lettuce, and lime wedges, for serving

Whisk coffee, chili powder, oil, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a shallow baking dish. Add skirt steak, turn to coat on all sides; set aside at room temperature to marinate for about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400º F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange tortillas in a single layer onto both sheets, then lightly brush with olive oil. Flip tortillas over and brush other side with olive oil, then sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake for 5 minutes; flip and bake another 3-5 minutes on other side until tortillas are crispy.

Prepare an outdoor grill for high heat. While steak marinates, brush onion slices lightly with oil and grill, flipping occasionally, until soft and lightly charred, about 15 minutes; set aside. Drain steak and grill, flipping once until medium-rare on the inside with deep grill marks, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer steaks to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes, then thinly slice against the grain.

Top each tostada with a mound of steak, some grilled onions and cilantro leaves. Serve with sliced avocado, Mexican crema, crumbled Cotija cheese, pickled jalapeño, shredded lettuce and lime wedges.