Basic Ceviche

I think that there are two camps when it comes to Ceviche - those that love it and those that don't understand it. I get that some folks just don't do the fish thing for whatever reason - and I am cool with that - more fish for me!

My personal theory is that many Americans have an aversion to anything raw (meat for sure and for some produce). Let's face it, it took 30+ years for Sushi to come into the mainstream and even today there are "meat and potato" folks that would not think to try it.

So why the rant? I needed a dish for a bi-weekly community happy hour and ceviche was my dish of choice this week. In thinking about this happy hour meal, I thought I would share some thoughts and hopefully inspire you to experience something new that is super easy and healthy to make at home.

Let's start with the fundamentals - what is ceviche? Ceviche is a dish comprised of raw seafood, marinated in a citrus-based sauce. Although grapefruits, tangelos, and oranges are sometimes used in the marinade, lemons and limes are the traditional citrus ingredients. In addition to creating a fantastic flavor, the citrus also pickles the fish. Therefore, the fish generally tastes as though it has been cooked. In a nutshell, the tender flesh of the seafood is slowly marinaded and cooked via the acid of the citrus.

Ceviche is often served with vegetables such as corn and potato. Of course, there are regional variations on ceviche. Some places traditionally serve a shark ceviche. Others are known for their octopus ceviche. Others still make ceviche with shellfish such as shrimp, conch, and mussels.
Like many centuries-old dishes, ceviche has been enjoyed in many different ways by many different peoples.

Below is a basic recipe for ceviche that anyone can make. The recipe serves four but easily scales. The margin of error is almost non-existant since all you need to do is chop, marinade and serve. Let the citrus do all the work for you. Ceviche makes for an excellent appetizer with chips or as a main meal on a hot summer day.

Ingredients:

• 7 ounces halibut or other white fish, diced
• 1 avocado, diced
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1 plum tomato, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, roasted, peeled, and crushed
• 2 tablespoons fresh jalapeno or Serrano chile
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• Salt

Process:

1. In a non-reactive bowl, marinate the fish in the lime for 1 hour, stirring occasionally
   
   
2. Prepare the rest of the ingredients during this time
   
   
3. After one hour, add remaining ingredients to the seafood and season with salt
   
   
4. Let stand in a cool place or in the refrigerator before serving

P.S. For those of you looking for other variations of ceviche using a particular fish, let me know and I will get you a specific recipe.