Summer in South America brings not only a new season, but new foods along with it. There are certain fruits which are about to ripen in the jungle including mango, aguaje, pomarosa, and zapote (Casimiroa edulis)…more about these soon! In Summer, salads become my number one craving. One of my favorite “summer salads” is ceviche!
Ceviche is citrus-marinated fish, which is then accompanied by sweet potato, white potato, choclo (large-kernel, starchy corn), canchita (toasted dry kernels of maize) and an onion salad. The aji limo (capsicum frutescens) chile pepper is used for ceviche the majority of the time, earning it the name aji ceviche! Really, Peruvian ceviche is the epitome of fusion: Inca hot peppers, Spanish limes and onions, and Japanese approach to preparing fish.
Sure, I could tell about how other countries make their ceviche, but since ceviche originated here in Peru, it doesn’t matter, right?
The citrus added to the fish “cooks” it without the heat. The fish goes from transparent to white in color in a matter of minutes or hours, depending on the type and cut of fish. It seems strange to eat fish which has not been cooked with heat, while as for many Peruvians it seems strange that one would eat raw fish in the form of sushi. So, to eat his own, right?
Traditional Peruvian Ceviche
2 pounds of tilapia fillet (or other fresh white fish)
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of ginger, grated
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
1 aji limo, deveined & deseeded, cut into slices (substitute your preferred chile pepper)
1 tablespoon of fresh cilantro, minced
1 – 1 1/2 cups of fresh squeezed lime juice
1 cup of fish broth
butter leaf lettuce
4 sweet potatoes, boiled, cooled & peeled, cut into thick circles
2 cobs of choclo, boiled, cut into thick circles (substitute starchy white corn or Mexican Elote)
Onion Salad
1. Cut fish fillets into small cubes, about 1 cm. In a large bowl, combine fish, garlic, ginger, salt, black pepper, chile pepper and cilantro. Stir with a large wooden spoon and pour the lime juice and fish broth over the entire mixture. Stir occasionally, making sure all the pieces of fish are marinating in the juice mixture. Once the fish is whitened (both inside and out), it is ready; about 20-45 minutes.
2. To serve, lay a couple lettuce leaves on a plate. Place sweet potato slices and corn cob beside the lettuce. Spoon ceviche onto the lettuce leaves, making sure to spoon some of the juice over the fish. The onion salad can be served on top of the fish or to one side, whatever is preferred. Typically, ceviche is accompanied by canchita.
Serves 6-8. Recipe adapted from Nuestros Grandes Chefs – Teresa Izquierdo.
Onion Salad
4 onions, sliced paper-thin, lengthwise
4 tablespoons of salt
juice from 4 limes (about 1/4 cup)
In a medium bowl, combine onion slices and salt. Cover onions with water and stir to combine. Once the water appears cloudy, pour it off and refill with clean water (do not add more salt!). Continue to this process until the water comes off clear (2 or 3 times). Add lime juice and serve!
Looks delicious and so healthy!
I’ve only had shrimp ceviche, made by someone from Bolivia, but I loved it!
Gretchen:
Our travel agent is working out the details for my wife’s and my visit to Peru in June or July.
Besides visiting some of the archaeological sites, experiencing the food and culture will be high on our list.
We will only have three weeks, so any suggestions for “Must Try” and “Avoid” would be appreciated (food-wise, that is).
This looks yummy and healthy – great way to start the new year!
I’ve never tried ceviche. It sounds like it would be really tasty, though, and a good way to help get my post-Christmas eating back on track.
Ann – Ceviche is rather healthy and incredibly delicious!
Kalyn – I hope you try Peruvian ceviche sometime!
DocChuck – I would love to give you some recommendations, could you tell me whereabouts you will be visiting (only in Lima or other places?) so i can be more specific? Feel free to use my email if you prefer.
Suzana – Definitely yummy and healthy.
Lynn – You certainly need to try ceviche…it is great!
this recipe lets the fish to be too cooked by the lemon for my taste…. I prefer my cebiche more fresh..only cokked 2 minutes ….
The ceviche looks lovely, indeed
But I must tell you that my husband and I are not traveling to Peru. He frequents food blogs of young women and tries to chat them up, often asking questions about travel or restaurants. Sadly, his disability check doesn’t leave room for any travel and few restaurants.
I am very sorry, but he is not a well man. I would appreciate it if you would not respond to him.
In the meantime, maybe I’ll make this ceviche recipe for him, though he is adamant about only eating canned seafood.
Gretchen
Dochuck’s “innocent” questions often quickly lead to outright harassment. Please don’t let what happened to me happen to you.
http://www.covenantnews.com/freedom/archives/004286.html
“MrsDocChuck” and “Gail H” are in fact the infamous poster, “chiffOnade”. She also posts under such names as “realchiffonade”, “SonnyfromHouston”, “DocChick”, using a proxy server so as to attempt to avoid another harassment lawsuit.
ChiffOnade claims to be a PROFESSIONAL CHEF (always in caps), a member of the SeriousEats staff. In fact, she has attempted suicide twice and is now on state mandated medication.
I am sick and tired of my wife following me around on the internet. I am a grown man and can post where I see fit. I also don’t appreciate that stalker ELIZABETH posting disparaging remarks about both me and my wife from PRISON, where she currently resides.
Perhaps this blog operator would like to check the IP of the above three posts by chiffOnade (once again using a proxy server and someone else’s screen name, “DocChuck”).
Other blog operators have been successful in eliminating chiffOnade’s drivel by reporting her to the server operators.
Mite I also point out that even if I do not plan to go to Peru, it does not mean that I do not have an appreciation for the cuisine of that fine country, as well as the cusines of other South American nations.
Ceviche is on my menu this weekend!
[...] them.” For starters, I’m betting on the Papá a la Huancaína recipe and, oh yes, the Peruvian Ceviche. Photo by [...]