Ceviche
Ceviche is neither fancy nor expensive. It’s all about the quality of the ingredients. Ceviche is a seafood dish in which the seafood is cooked (technically called “cured”) in citrus juices such as lemon and/or lime. Ceviche is the perfect dish on a hot summer day.
Servings: 4 as an appetizer, but in the ville it’s for two!
Calories: 218kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound firm white ocean fish, cut into small strips
- ½ cup lemon juice and lime juice (about 3 limes & 1 lemon)
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 small tomato, de-seeded and cubed
- ½ red bell pepper, de-seeded and cubed
- 1 avocado, cubed
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 habanero, de-seeded and cut into very tiny pieces (or use a milder pepper)
- 1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt
Instructions
- Put the fish in a bowl and marinate with the lime/lemon juice for 20 minutes in the fridge. The flesh will turn opaque.
- Toss with the rest of the ingredients and add the sea salt.
- Serve in your favorite dish (you could use a martini glass to be fancy) and top with cilantro.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
-
The do’s and don’ts of making ceviche
- Buy only the freshest ocean fish (see paragraph below). Fish don’t smell fishy, they smell like the ocean. The flesh is glossy, not opaque.
- And please keep it cold. Put some ice on top of the bag before putting it in the fridge. Your goal is to use the fish the same day you buy it.
- Don’t over-marinate the fish. Twenty minutes should be enough. Marinate for over an hour and your fish will fall apart; under 20 minutes and your fish might still taste raw.
- Buy firm, white ocean fish, such as grouper, sole, flounder, and striped bass. Stay away from oily fish, such as mackerel, bluefish, tuna, sardines, etc.
- Use the right ratio of acid-to-fish: ½ cup of lime/lemon juice for 1 lb of fish works perfectly.
- De-seed and “de-juice” tomatoes. Otherwise, you’ll have a watery mess on the bottom of your plate.
- Dice your veggies evenly, except for the onions. Slice onions as thin as possible for less harsh flavor and for presentation.
- Only mix your marinated fish with your vegetables just before serving. This will keep the fish and vegetables from becoming mushy.
- Pairing: My favorite drink with ceviche is an ice cold Dos Equis, a smooth Pilsner-style lager, which complements this dish beautifully.
- Variations: If you’re not comfortable with the whole “raw fish cooked in lime/lemon juice thing,” you could use cooked shrimp, cut into small pieces, and use the same cooking instructions as outlined above. And yes, it also works with raw shrimp, scallops, octopus, etc. The curing times will have to be adjusted (longer). I’d like to start here with a simple fish ceviche recipe that will turn out perfect every time, before going into more complex variations.
- Suggestion: If you enjoyed this, then you're gonna love our Hawaiian poke!
Nutrition
Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 9g | Sodium: 648mg | Potassium: 766mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 903IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 33mg