This is a very easy ceviche recipe that you can do as a side dish, an appetizer, or even an entire meal. We made this with our friend Cinthia while living in Velez-Malaga, Spain. Ceviche is very flexible as long as your ingredients are extremely fresh. Below is a good video from AllRecipes about ceviche.
INGREDIENTS
- This recipe must be made at least 2 hours ahead of time – 4 hours is better
PROTEINS - 1-2 LB FRESH Mahi (Tuna) or other delicate white fish
– cut into 1/4 – 1/2 inch pieces
– You can also use Rock Fish, Sea Bream, Grouper, Seabass, Halibut, Talapia, Cod or Red Snapper – cut thinly and blanched 30 seconds
– DO NOT use swordfish or tuna, as these are long-lived fish and are more likely to have parasites - Scallops – blanched* 20-30 seconds
- Shrimp – blanched* 20-30 seconds
- Crab – blanched* 20-30 seconds
- Squid or Octopus – blanched* 20-30 seconds
* Blanched means that you plunge it into boiling water for about 30 seconds, and then remove it to an ice bath to stop the cooking.
REQUIRED VEGETABLES and LIQUIDS - One Lemon and one lime – zest and juice
- 1 C FRESH real lime juice (this is because the acidity is well-controlled)
- 1 TBL tomato juice or green tomato
- Cucumber – Small cubes
- Roma Tomato – Deseeded and chopped fairly small
- 1/2 red onion – Chopped fairly large – blanched 30 seconds
- Cilantro – Rough chopped
- Jalapeño or Serrano – minced (hotter: habañero)
- Chives – Cut into 1/4 inch strips
- 1 tsp salt
- EVOO
- Additions: Red onion slivers, Passion Fruit, Papaya, Pineapple, Mango, Kumquat, Plums,
OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS - Spice it up with a squirt of Siracha
- Radish
- An easy option is to buy a good pico de gallo and use in place of the vegetables listed above.
SELECTING THE RIGHT FISH
CLICK HERE FOR TIPS ON BUYING A FRESH FISH
STEP BY STEP
- Cut fish into 3/4 – 1 inch pieces
- Place fish pieces in a glass bowl
- Blanche all raw seafood for no more than 30 seconds, then plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process
- 1/2 fresh squeezed lime juice – enough to cover
- Sprinkle with a bit of salt and set aside for 10-20 minutes
- Dry Pack Scallops are another good thing to use in your ceviche.
– – – To find out why Dry Pack are better than Wet Pack, CLICK HERE. - Optional: Plunge shrimp (deveined) and other seafood into boiling water for 30 seconds, then into ice water. I actually prefer this step.
- In a second large mixing bowl, combine the following:
- Cut 1 red onion into very thin julienne strips
- 2-3 large tomatoes – thinly slice tomato flesh, discarding seeds and juice
- Finely chop 2-4 TBL EACH – Depending on taste
– Optionally: strips of pepper – mild or hot
– green olives – quartered
– parsley – chopped
– cilantro – some chopped, some fairly whole
– celery pieces (1 stalk, ribs removed before cutting)
2 TBL EACH
– ketchup
– EVOO (emulsified with whisk)
– Worcestershire sauce
– oregano and salt to taste
– minced garlic - Combine all of the above in the glass bowl and refrigerate for AT LEAST 2 hours, but for as long as five. Not longer though, they will become chewy.
- Serve topped with slices of avocado, cubed papaya or mango, salt, pepper, and chopped cilantro
If you want to see a ceviche recipe in action, use the below video.
