A beginner’s guide to ceviche
We can all agree that summer is the season for eating fresh, unfussy foods. Like ceviche, the Latin American dish (widely considered Peruvian) of fish or seafood cured in lime juice. Strike your fancy? Here are the basics to making your own ceviche at home, plus a special recipe guide to get you started.
Ceviche is a fish/seafood dish that’s “cooked” in the acidic juices of citrus and vinegar. You’ll be happy to know that making your own is a lot less intimidating than you might think. Sure, the word alone is enough to send your tongue into twists, so let’s get the phonetics right first. Repeat after me: suh-vee-chay. Easy, right? Now that you can confidently pronounce it without stammer (suh-vee-chay, remember?), let’s reveal the key to getting it right.
The fish
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Salmon ceviche[/caption]
Glistening fresh fish or seafood such as prawns cured in freshly squeezed lime juices are essential if you’re on a mission to achieve ceviche nirvana. It’s important to use the freshest catch you can get your hands on – anything from white fish such as hake to salmon and prawns will do the trick. Avoid frozen fish entirely, but keep your catch as cold as possible.
The marinade
The acidic marinade used to cure fish when making ceviche is known as tiger’s milk, or leche de tigre. If you’re after a fresh and fruity ceviche like this strawberry and trout version, a dressing made from rice vinegar, fish sauce, fresh herbs and gooseberries is your answer. For a white fish like hake, citrus such as lime is your best bet. The flavours can, however, be enhanced with a dash of red wine vinegar.
The base
It’s best to use produce that is a little underripe to avoid them from becoming too mushy during the marinating process.
Got it?
Now turn to our ultimate ceviche recipe guide and take your pick of our favourites. What are you waiting for?
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