Like carpaccio, ceviche is a raw fish recipe that modern cooks just love to play with. The citrus-marinated seafood dish originates in Peru and is thought to be a development from Spanish escabeche, which is a vinegar-marinated dish.
Ceviche is essentially fish that is "cooked" by marinating in the acid of citrus juice. This recipe is for the classic Peruvian ceviche and pairs a high-quality white saltwater fish of your choice with lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice, salt, hot peppers, onions, and cilantro.
Enjoy it with a cold beer on a hot day—or anytime you want to daydream about South American travels.
Ingredients
- 1 pound white saltwater fish (see notes below)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 cup lime juice (key limes if you can find them)
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 medium onion (sliced very thinly into half-moons)
- 1 rocoto chile (chile Manzano in Mexican markets or 2 aji limon chile or habaneros)
- Garnish: 4 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Cut the fish into small pieces. You can dice it or leave it in pieces up to 1-inch square, but remember that the larger the pieces, the longer it will take to marinate.
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Salt the fish, then cover with the lime juice, lemon juice, and orange juice in a non-reactive (glass or plastic) container with a lid. Add the sliced onions and the chiles.
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Chill the fish mixture in the fridge for at least 2 hours, possibly as much as 3 hours (very large pieces of fish can take longer to fully marinate). If your fish is truly raw-eating quality, it is OK if the centers of the pieces are still raw-looking.
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To serve, on a plate or in a bowl, lay down some of the onions and chiles and top with the fish. Garnish with the cilantro.
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Enjoy!
