Have you tried ceviche yet? Similar to poke, this fresh fish dish is light and citrusy, making it great for hot summer days. It’s tasty, impressive, and extremely easy to make—if you know how to do it right.
Ceviche is a cold dish. The marinating juices are what prepares, and actually cooks the fish. It really is an interesting process for such a flavorful dish.
If you’re interested, make friends with your local fishmonger—a quality ceviche at home begins with the freshest ingredients.
It’s all about the fish.
Look the firmest and most translucent white fish available. If you’re trying ceviche out for the first time, look for varieties like flounder, sole, fluke, or striped bass.
If you’re buying a whole fish (which are available in the grocery store’s frozen seafood counter but for the most variety check out a specialty fish market like San Marino Seafood), look for one with clear eyes. The fish should smell like ocean but not fishy.
At home, surround your fish in plastic wrap and lay it over ice help keep the flavor and texture. Refrigerate the fish until you are ready to start your prep work.
First you need to prepare your fish. Removing the bloodline is very important so that your fish doesn’t have a gamey type of taste to it. Also remove the bones as well.
If you are unsure how to remove the bloodline, your fishmonger can help you.
The fish needs to be completely scaled and cleaned, then cut into cubes (eveness is key—all components should be of equal size so everything marinates at the same speed).
The fish needs to marinate in the citrus juices for a minimum of fifteen minutes. This will allow the exterior to become firm while the interior remains moist and tender.
Proper ceviche is served rare, medium-rare, or medium (fish that is too well-done will spoil the dish).
Ten to fifteen minutes creates a rare ceviche, fifteen to twenty-five minutes creates medium-rare and twenty-five minutes is medium-well.
The best way to find out how well you’d like your ceviche cooked is to take about four to five pieces of fish and place it in the marinade Taste it every five minutes until it reaches your desired doneness.
While your fish is marinating prepare your vegetables. There are plenty of great combinations to try; some suggestions are diced cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, and Serrano chiles. The marinades can also differ, but will always contain a citrus like lemon, lime, or even orange juice. This helps tone down the heat of your chiles while the citric acid actually cooks your fish.
After the fish has had time to marinate, add in your vegetables, toss and serve. You can serve it up with some warm tortillas for a more hearty meal.
When it comes to selection, San Marino Seafood offers a wide variety of the freshest seafood. They can prepare the recipes you are seeking for you, or wrap your selections up for you to cook at home.
Are you ready to dive into a bowl of fresh ceviche?
San Marino Seafood Restaurant & Market is located at 2150 Huntington Drive, San Marino. For more information, please call (626) 943-8862 or visit www.sanmarinoseafood.com.