05-04-2025
Chef's recipe from the Top 10: Aguachile by No. 1, Puma
From the chefs at Puma in Detroit, No. 1 on the 2025 Detroit Free Press/Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Top 10 New Restaurants & Dining Experiences list, this aguachile is cool and refreshing, with cooked shrimp in a broth of juiced cucumber, celery and jalapeno, then mixed with spicy red onion and sliced cucumber and balanced with lime juice and a generous (don't skimp) pinch of salt to bring out the flavors.
Serves: 4 / Prep time: 30 minutes / Total time: 1 hour plus chilling time
No. 1: Puma, an Argentinian joint where fire and ice collide, is Detroit's best new restaurant
Aguachile:
2 English cucumbers
2 stalks of celery
1 jalapeno, stem removed
1 bunch of cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup lime juice
Salt to taste
For plating:
2 cups large cooked shrimp
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup cucumber, quartered and sliced
1 cup sliced red onion
2 tablespoon jalapeno, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
8 yellow corn tostadas
Salt to taste
Juice all ingredients for Aguachile broth and mix well, seasoning with salt to taste. Chill and set aside. (If you don't have a juicer, puree until very smooth in a blender or food processor.)
Add the cooked shrimp to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with lemon juice and a generous pinch of salt, stir well.
Add remaining ingredients and the chilled Aguachile broth. Mix well to coat everything in the broth. Transfer to a chilled serving bowl and garnish with additional red onion, picked cilantro and sliced jalapeno.
Serve with corn tostadas.
From Puma in Core City, Detroit.
Tested by Susan Selasky
Pairing two crisp ingredients, jicama and apple, with a citrus dressing makes this salad a favorite at Puma. The dressing has a wow factor, blending sweet and citrusy with a well-balanced, peppery bite from Aleppo pepper.
Serves: 4 / Prep time: 30 minutes / Total time: 45 minutes
More: 6 great recipes from 25 years of Free Press top restaurants series
Dressing:
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 cup maple syrup
4 cloves garlic, grated
2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper
Salad:
3 cups green apple, julienned
3 cups jicama, peeled and julienned
1 cup red onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon thinly sliced jalapeno
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt to taste
For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a blender and mix well until uniform. Add remaining ingredients to a large mixing bowl and combine with dressing. Toss well to coat everything in the dressing and season with salt to taste.
Transfer to a large serving bowl with all of the liquid and garnish with additional sliced red onion, cilantro leaves, and sliced jalapeño.
From Puma in Detroit
Tested by Susan Selasky
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Top new Detroit restaurant Puma shares recipe for refreshing aguachile