Ceviche is one
of my favorite foods.
Consisting of
fresh fish 0r seafood marinated for long hours in some kind of acidic mixture,
I ate it every time I was in Mexico. These days it’s a staple on Good Friday,
when some of my loved ones won’t eat meat (I realize vegetarian options are
good on this holiday too, but fish and seafood are traditional).
Ceviche is not an
easy dish.
This is not
because it’s hard to make. It’s actually very easy to do, but it is not for
people squeamish about eating anything raw or that seems raw because no heat is
needed in this recipe. All you need is the freshest fish or seafood you can
find, a ton of lime juice and some other bits, and a few hours in the fridge.
The acidic citrus juice cures the fish or seafood making it safe to eat, but if
you’re still uncomfortable, this recipe is not for you.
My version of
ceviche combines tender sustainable scallops with lime juice and herbs. Though
tomatoes are the traditional fruit of choice in ceviche, I opted to use mangoes
instead, which pair well with the naturally sweet scallops.
Try it!
It makes a
wonderful appetizer, or served with home fries or crusty bread, an EXCELLENT
main course!
Here’s How You Do It
Difficulty Level: Medium - Difficult
Prep time: 10-15 Minutes
Marinating time: 4 Hours – Overnight
Ingredients
3 Cups Fresh Scallops – I advise getting your scallops from a fish market
rather than a grocery store as fishmongers’ reputations depend on the freshness
of the only products they sell – fish and seafood. You can’t say the same about
large grocers.
2 Cups Fresh or Frozen Mangoes,
Peeled and Finely Chopped
Juice of 3 Large Limes – If you can’t get large limes, get 5 or 6 limes
instead of 3
Zest of 1 Lime
1 Cup Fresh Cilantro/Coriander – If you can’t stand the taste of cilantro, you can
use basil or fresh mint instead.
3 Green Onions aka Scallions,
Finely Chopped
1 Italian Tomato, Seeded and
Finely Chopped
Salt – To Taste
Hot Sauce – To Taste (Optional)
Equipment
1 Food Processor or Knife and
Cutting Board
Measuring Cups
1 Large Bowl
1 Mixing Spoon
Plastic Wrap
Put the
mango, tomato, green onion, and coriander (or herb of choice) in a bowl with
the lime juice and stir everything together. Taste and adjust with salt and hot
sauce– it should be sour and strong tasting, this will dull when you add the
scallops. You could also do the combining with a food processor and a couple of
pulses.
Add the
scallops and stir everything to combine.
Cover the
bowl with plastic wrap, put the bowl in the fridge, and leave it for at least 4
hours or overnight.
Take it out
and give it a quick taste. It made need a notch more salt, or an extra squeeze
of lime juice or hot sauce.
Serve
immediately.
Enjoy!
-Samantha R. Gold
Questions? Comments? Requests?
Bring it on!
I can be reached at: for.the.culinarily.challenged@gmail.com
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