Traditional white fish ceviche in 3 steps!

2012. Traditional white fish ceviche in 3 steps!

Once I read in Lima, if life gives you lemons, make ceviche! And I cannot agree more with that phrase!

In 2012 I reconciled with Bogota. After 2 years in which I did not get along with the city, especially because of the constant rains and in which I had many dates where none finished ok (sometimes for me), I decided to change my attitude with the city. I went back and forth from head to toe at dawn, at night, in the mornings and afternoons, doing things that connected me with it.

One of those many things that I enjoyed that year, was my Peruvian cooking course. Because for many years, I have been a passionate lover of ceviches and tiraditos.

I made those short studies with people from the Nazca group who have several restaurants here. For five Mondays we cooked 2 entrees, a main dish, a cocktail and a dessert. Everything was paired with delicious wines, so it was nothing better than to start the week drunk! 😉 The chefs-professors were Peruvian and they gave us many tips. I hope to share a lot of what I learned. For now, if life has given you lemons again these days, buy a good white fish, a few leaves of coriander and onion to dazzle someone with this ceviche that rescues original recipes, and also, I simplified it in 3 steps to that you can prepare it in a mo!

Recipe of the traditional Ceviche of white fish

For 4 people.

Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

– 2 pounds or 1000 grams of fish fillets (in Bogota I usually use tilapia, I also recommend bass or sea bass). More or less this weight is equivalent to about 4 fish fillets.

– 1 tbsp (tablespoon) of coriander

– 1/2 tbsp (tablespoon) of garlic paste

– 1/2 red onion, chopped into thin strips

– 2 green lemons (lime)

– 1 Sweet potato

Optional:

– Chili limó whole cut into small pieces or slices or chili pepper in paste

– 1 cup of large threshed corn

– 1 or 2 leaves of lettuce

Seriously, can I do it in 3 steps? I explain what I do:

Step 1– I cut everything: the fish in cubes of about 2 × 2 cm, the onion in julienne, the coriander in small pieces, I separate the garlic paste, I squeeze the lemon and I boil (I cook in water) the corn and the sweet potato with the shell. Mix half of the lemon  with the garlic paste.

Step 2- I mix almost-everything: I place the fish in a bowl, 3/4 of the coriander, the mixture of the lemon with the garlic, I add salt and pepper, the lemon juice and if I want it spicy I add the chili pepper pieces. With a spoon, I turn the fish over until all the ingredients are mixed. I add the onions, the remaining coriander and I mix again . I do that for about 2 minutes until I start to see that the fish changes color becoming whiter. I try a piece to check if it needs more salt or pepper (your palate is responsible!). I add the rest of the lemon and let stand about 15 or 20 minutes before serving.

Step 3- I serve: it’s time to eat ceviche. Take the lettuce leaves and put them on a plate. Place the sweet potato and the corn on the side.

Tip 1: I calculate 250 grams of fish per person, with the sweet potato and corn I think they are ok for a dinner. Slices of chili pepper are very spicy, so it is better to mix it in small squares inside the fish mixture with the lemon thn biting a whole slice. If some eat spicy and others do not, I recommend that you then have a spicy hot pepper sauce and that you serve it in a small bowl so that you can submerge the fish and enjoy its spicy ceviche.

Tip 2: Depending on where you are the fish may change their name. My recommendation is that for ceviche you buy fish in fillet without spines that is easy to cut into cubes without undoing. Good fish for ceviche: grouper, sea bass, tilapia.

Tip 3: This recipe is very healthy, 0% fat and 0% refined sugar (just a little bit in the sweet potato). It is ideal if you are dieting or doing the transformation challenge.

Tip know-it-all: As a ceviche is a Quechua word, you can find it as Cebiche / Ceviche / Sebiche. Either way it is well written. In a few words: it is a word that, like you write it, that will never be badly written!

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