Mexican-Styled Ceviche
Ceviche is another easy, delicious, and familiar ‘raw meat’ appetizer. Make a simple marinade, then use tomato juice, coconut milk or fresh fruit to make a final dish.
You could argue that the meat is ‘cooked’ by the acid in the lime (or lemon) juice marinade. It’s certainly ‘predigested,’ improving absorption of available nutrients. However, in it’s unheated form, beneficial enzymes remain in tact, along with heat-sensitive B and C vitamins.
Traditionally, marinating the meat was effective for killing pathogens and parasites that may have been in the fish. Today, most seafood is flash frozen. Freezing does change its texture a bit, but freezing for more than a couple of weeks will kill parasites as well.
Make your marinade
First, you need a bit of time – the fish has to marinate for at least a few hours. Rick Bayless says four hours or overnight; Sally Fallon says at least four hours. I’ve adapted recipes from each of them below. I often prep the fish first thing in the morning and leave it until dinner.
All you need is fresh-squeezed juice, salt, (optional fresh whey,) and fish to get started. However, you really do need fresh juice. I always use lime, though lemon would work, too. A half cup minimum. So get out your juicer and go to town.
If you won’t have a chance to stir or mix your fish while it’s marinating, consider using up to a cup of juice so that the fish is completely covered. Similarly, more juice if you have a bit less time available.
Add a teaspoon of salt and optional tablespoon of fresh whey to complete your simple marinade.
Fresh-squeezed lime juice for Ceviche
Prep the fish
Once you’ve got your marinade prepped, cut a pound of boneless, skinless white fish in evenly-sized pieces. If you are marinating for four hours, stick with small (3/8-inch) pieces.
Use even smaller pieces (1/4 inch) if you have a bit less time to marinate. Use slightly larger pieces (1/2 inch) if you will leave the fish for 8 or more hours.
Combine your cubed fish with the marinade. I usually use a glass tupperware with a snap lid that I can shake a few times, when I think of it, during the day.
The fish is ready when you cut it in half and it’s white all the way through. If it’s still translucent in the middle, it needs to marinate longer.
Ceviche three ways
From here, once your fish is ‘cooked’ by the juice, white throughout, you can take it any direction. Beware: this easy and delicious appetizer could easily turn into a meal itself!
A few ideas include Mexican-Styled ‘Seviche’ in tomato-sauce, Simple Ceviche in coconut milk with green onions, or Sweet and Spicy Ceviche with mango and chili. Recipes follow.
Please share your own variations below!
Notes
If the inside of your fish is still translucent and you are close to ready to eat, cut your pieces smaller and return to lime mixture for another half hour and check again. Exposing more surface area will 'cook' the fish much faster.
Four hours of 'cook time' is simply marinating the fish in the fridge. Prep time varies from 15-25 minutes in total depending on recipe option.
Ingredients
For the marinade and fish
- 1/2 c fresh squeezed lime juice, from 6-8 limes
- 1 t salt
- 1 T fresh whey, optional
- 1 lb white fish fillet - as fresh as possible - boneless and skinless, cut into 1/4 - 1/2 inch cubes
Mexican-Styled 'Seviche' in tomato sauce
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1/4 c green olives, pitted and chopped
- 1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped, plus optional sprig for garnish
- 1/2 t dried oregano
- 1/2 15oz can diced tomatoes, or 1 large fresh tomato chopped (in summer)
- 3 T olive oil
- 1 avocado, chopped
- salt
Simple Ceviche in coconut milk
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced or chopped
- 1 avocado, chopped (optional)
- 1 T toasted sesame seeds
- pinch of chili flakes for garnish
- lettuce leaves for serving
Sweet and Spicy Ceviche
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 mango (or pineapple) in small pieces (equivalent to the size of your fish pieces)
- 1/4 t chili flakes
- pinch of sesame seeds for garnish
- tortilla chips for serving
Instructions
For the marinade and fish
- To marinate the fish, squeeze limes for fresh juice and mix with salt and optional whey. Prepare the fish by cutting into 1/4 - 1/2 inch cubes. Toss the fish in the juice and leave in the fridge to marinate for 2-8 hours. In the end, the fish should look all white and cooked all the way through - as opposed to having sides or insides that are translucent and raw.
Mexican-Styled 'Seviche'
- In the meantime, combine the onion, olives, cilantro, and oregano in a bowl. When ready to serve, add the tomatoes, olive oil, and avocado as well.
- Confirm that your fish is white all the way through. Drain the fish and add to the bowl with the remaining ingredients. Mix well and taste. Season with salt if needed. Garnish with lime or sprigs of cilantro. Serve in ramekins or bowls.
Simple Ceviche in coconut milk
- Confirm that your fish is white all the way through. Drain the fish and mix with the coconut milk, scallions, optional avocado, and toasted sesame seeds. Mix well and taste. Season with salt if needed. Garnish with additional sesame seeds and a pinch of chili flakes. Serve on lettuce leaves.
Sweet and Spicy Ceviche
- Confirm that your fish is white all the way through. Drain the fish and mix with the coconut milk, mango (or pineapple) and chili flakes. Mix well and taste. Season with salt if needed. Garnish with lime and optional sesame seeds. Serve with tortilla chips.
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