Monday, May 20, 2013

You put the lime in the...

...Bowl of raw fish?  Save the coconut for a pina coloda and whip up some ceviche!  Nothin says Summer Lovin like ceviche served up alongside avocado slices, crispy tortilla chips and a big ol' margarita!

Many people I know are weirded out by the process of making ceviche, since, well, you don't heat the fish to cook it.  In actuality, the acidity of the lime juice prevents bacterial growth and also denatures the proteins in the fish, just as heat does when cooking fish.  It is then, essentially, 'cooked'.  But, its not.  Get it?  Good.  If you are unfamiliar with ceviche, it is definitely a crowd pleaser and one of the best dishes I can think of to serve on a hot summer day by the pool.  You can serve it with chips, stuffed into the hollow pit in an avocado half, in a margarita glass....you can even throw in a splash of tequila (organic of course!) and mix it up.

If you serve it with chips, and you have not tried Xochitl chips yet....splurge.  I bought these at Whole Foods years ago for $6 a damn bag.  I was HOOKED.  Better than any chips I've had in a Mexican restaurant.  Thin, crispy and they have an organic variety!  They now sell them at my local grocer for under $4 a bag.  They are the only chips I will buy and everyone who tries them  can't believe how good they are.  Trust me.  Splurge.  If you can't find them at your local store, don't fret!  Amazon and other online retailers sell them.

**See note below for a vegetarian version!



Summer Lovin' Ceviche
Makes enough for an appetizer for 6-8 people

1 1/2lb your choice mix of shrimp (peeled & deveined), scallops, cubed halibut or cubed sea bass.
Juice of 8 limes
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
1/4 c seeded, peeled and diced cucumber
2 green onions, diced (white and green parts)
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 jalapeƱo, diced
generous pinch salt
generous pinch pepper
small pinch sugar

Put seafood into a shallow bowl.  Pour lime juice over and add remaining ingredients.  Toss together, cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, stirring occasionally so that all of the seafood gets coated and 'cooks'.  Serve cold with a slotted spoon to lightly drain the juice off.  If not serving all of it at once, keep the remaining ceviche stored in the juice in the fridge.

**Note: Oh yeah....this recipe is also naturally Gluten-Free and if you are vegetarian, I am that covered too!  Just substitute roughly chopped oyster mushrooms and add a dash of black Hawaiian salt.  The oyster mushrooms have a briny flavor, much like seafood and the black Hawaiian salt has a little ocean-y flavor.  Just a dash so it doesn't overpower.  


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