Citrus Ceviche

I was introduced to ceviche ("seh-BEE-chay") by my "adopted" 20-year-old daughter, Ray Norton. She is about to move to the coastal towns in Northern Peru and wanted to prepare a traditional dish as a way to celebrate her new adventure. I've made it several times now and really love this easy, healthy, fresh tasting dish.

Different countries in South America have different versions. In Chile, ceviche is made with Chilean sea bass, grapefruit juice, and cilantro. In Peru, ceviche is made with any kind of saltwater white fish, key lime juice and garnished with thinly sliced red onions and chile peppers. The citrus juice “cooks” the fish - partially or completely, depending on how long it is marinated. In Peru, the seafood would marinate in the lime juice for no more than 15 minutes. The citric acid in the lime juice does alter the structure of the proteins in the fish, making the fish more opaque and firm, just as if it had been cooked with heat.

But it’s important to start with the freshest, cleanest fish possible, since heat is better at killing bacteria. If the seafood is extremely fresh, it's not a problem, but wild frozen fish may be a better option if really fresh fish isn't available. I love the fresh, tender taste of the seafood "cooked" in citrus better than using heat to cook the fish.

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Citrus Ceviche

Yield: 6 - 8 servings

Author: Judes Draughon

Prep time: 25 MinTotal time: 25 Min

I was introduced to ceviche ("seh-BEE-chay") by my "adopted" 20-year-old daughter, Ray Norton. She is about to move to the coastal towns in Northern Peru and wanted to prepare a traditional dish as a way to celebrate her new adventure. I've made it several times now and really love this easy, healthy, fresh tasting dish.Different countries in South America have different versions. In Chile, ceviche is made with Chilean sea bass, grapefruit juice, and cilantro. In Peru, ceviche is made with any kind of saltwater white fish, key lime juice and garnished with thinly sliced red onions and chile peppers. The citrus juice “cooks” the fish - partially or completely, depending on how long it is marinated. In Peru, the seafood would marinate in the lime juice for no more than 15 minutes. The citric acid in the lime juice does alter the structure of the proteins in the fish, making the fish more opaque and firm, just as if it had been cooked with heat.But it’s important to start with the freshest, cleanest fish possible, since heat is better at killing bacteria. If the seafood is extremely fresh, it's not a problem, but wild frozen fish may be a better option if really fresh fish isn't available. I love the fresh, tender taste of the seafood "cooked" in citrus better than using heat to cook the fish.

Ingredients

• 1 pound wild fresh (caught within the day) or wild frozen white fish and/or shrimp, diced small (no larger than 1/2
• 1/2 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice (enough to cover fish)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
• ¼ small red onion, diced small
• 1/2 of an English cucumber, diced
• 2 navel oranges, peeled and diced
• 2 small tomatoes, diced
• 1 ripe avocado, cubed
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Cut the fish into small pieces, no larger than 1/2 " cubes.
2. Salt the fish, then cover with the lime juice in a non-reactive (glass) container with a lid. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes while you prepare the vegetables.
3. Gently stir diced jalapeño, onion, cucumber, oranges, tomatoes, avocado and chopped cilantro together in a bowl. Once the fish is "cooked" (the fish will be opaque on at least the outer ridges), discard 1/2 of the lime juice from the fish mixture and pour vegetable mixture over fish and toss together. Serve immediately and enjoy!

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