The O'Burke Shrimp & Avocado Dip

Why is it called the O'Burke? Well, here's the story behind this insanely delicious dip. My best friends Molly O'Brien, Laura Magnotta, and Katey Burke and I had our first Big Girl Dinner party when we were about seventeen or eighteen. We got all dressed up, set the dining room tables, lit the candles, and poured the (sorry mom!) wine into our glasses as we all sat down to try the homemade dinner that we each took turns creating.

Molly cooked our first meal. She made a delicious pasta with beautifully colorful vegetables and grilled chicken. I can still picture her cooking in her pretty sundress adorned with her stained apron. Before dinner, she placed this dip that she called Shrimp Ceviche, on her counter with some tortilla chips. It had a creamy base, (what the cream was I still don't know) with cilantro, some lime, shrimp, avocado, tomato, and onion, all mixed up in a bowl. DELICIOUSLY ADDICTING.

Throughout the past few years, she has served it at several dinner parties, movie nights, or birthday events, and every time I say that I am going to make it myself. She sent me the e-mail with the recipe, I glanced at it, and accidently deleted it. I figured I basically remembered what was in it- how hard could it be?

So, I bought Multigrain tortilla chips, 4 avocados, two giant red tomatoes, one red onion, and a bag of frozen shrimp. (Clearly not realizing I left out half of what the recipe called for)

I defrosted the shrimp and chopped up all the vegetables and shrimp. Trust me, you want to make this WHEN. YOU. HAVE. TIME. It's tedious.

So, all excited for everyone to try it, I placed it all in a bowl and took a taste test- incredible as I expected.

I called Molly, and raved about the recreation, and what I threw it the bowl, what I bought, how it tasted, and she responded, "Beth, thats great, but that's not my dish."

"oh. woops,"

SInce then I've made MY version of this dish- my first successful attempt at recipe creation and watched it melt the hearts of men and women all over the world! - well actually just my family. But that's all that matters right?!


It's easy. Just buy four somewhat mushy to feel avocados, about two ripe red tomatoes, one large red onion, and a 1 lb. bag of frozen shrimp. Defrost the shrimp, and start chopping. Chop everything and throw it together and you're done! The best part of my version is that there's no cream base to it. WIth avocado being the leading vegetable for your daily dose of potassium and omega-3's, tomatoes, and plain shrimp, you're definitely doing your body good by indulging. You can't go wrong!




I think it's served best with chips, but I would imagine that pita chips or pita bread would be just as tasty. Serve it during the summer with a glass of wine or a mojito - or if you're a gin snob like me, go with tangueray and tonic with extra lime and you've got it made.



HAPPY EATING! nod to Molly O'Brien with the O'Burke dip!