ceviche

Ceviche
Copyright 2000, Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, all rights reserved.

I N G R E D I E N T S
1 pound fresh red snapper fillets
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 large tomato, cored, seeded, diced
1 small red onion, finely diced
2 bunches cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, about 1 cup
1/2 cup bottled clam juice
2 serrano chiles, stemmed, thinly sliced into circles
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

I N S T R U C T I O N S
Cut red snapper into 1/2-inch cubes and place in glass or ceramic dish. Toss with 1/2 cup of lime juice. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 15 minutes. Drain and discard lime juice.

Transfer fish to medium bowl. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup lime juice, tomato, onion, cilantro, clam juice, chiles, and salt. Chill at least an hour, or up to 1 day, for flavors to blend.

Serve in tall chilled goblets with spears of romaine lettuce and/or tortilla chips, or in soup bowls lined with the lettuce leaves.

Ceviche History
An Inca Discovery
by Beverly Cox & Martin Jacobs
The Humboldt Current flows north along the Pacific coast of Peru and Ecuador, providing the region with some of the most varied and magnificent seafood in the world. Since pre-Colombian times, the coastal peoples of South America have capitalized on this bountiful seacoast, steaming seafood catches in pits between layers of seaweed, drying it or eating it raw with a seasoning of chiles, salt and herbs.

Late 15th-century Spanish explorers found many new and delicious foods in the Americas, but they were quick to import Old World plants and fruit trees, including Seville orange and lemon seedlings. When the Native American cooks of Peru and Ecuador paired these citrus fruits with South America's seafood, one of the world's greatest culinary techniques was born. Ceviche, seviche or cebiche, as it is written in different locales, was created when citrus juices were added to the Native preparation of fresh, raw seafood. The citrus juices not only flavored the fish and shellfish, the acid in the juice "cooked" the seafood rendering it firm and opaque. Zesty with minced hot chiles, red onion and fresh cilantro, ceviche is a refreshing and memorable dish. It is served as a first course, a light meal or a snack and is so popular that specialty restaurants called cevi-cherias have opened up along the Pacific coast as far north as Mexico.

In most of Latin America the juice of the "limon," a fruit similar to the Florida Key lime, is often used when preparing ceviche. The ceviche of Ecuador is unique because it is made with the juice of bitter Seville oranges. The usual Ecuadorian accompaniment and garnish for ceviche is popped corn and corn nuts-two old Inca favorites.

The recipe that follows is adap-ted from one served at La Longita, a cevicheria in the Ecuadorian coastal city of Salinas. David Rodriquez, chef-owner of Patria restaurant in New York City, tasted this shrimp ceviche when visiting friends in Ecuador and declared it outstanding. We agree and thank him for sharing the recipe.

Seville oranges are most often used to make marmalade and are not usually commercially available in the United States. Combining the juice of sweet oranges and limes produces a reasonable substitute. In making ceviche, it is essential to use the freshest possible seafood from unpolluted waters. Unlike fish, which is added to the marinade raw, shellfish such as shrimp or lobster is first blanched in boiling water. Though frozen fish does not work well, shrimp, most of which has been previously frozen, makes good ceviche if thawed and used immediately.

Ecuadorian Shrimp Ceviche

1 pound extra-large shrimp (16 to 20 pieces), peeled and de-veined

Marinade

1 large ripe but firm tomato or 2 to 3 ripe plum tomatoes
1 small white onion
2 mirasol or jalapeño chiles
1 red bell pepper
1/4 cup freshly squeezed Key lime or lime juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt to taste
Hot pepper sauce to taste (optional)
Garnish
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup plain, unsalted popcorn
1/2 cup corn nuts
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add shrimp, turn off heat, and blanch for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove immediately from water with wire-mesh strainer and transfer to an ice bath to cool. Drain shrimp thoroughly and place in a glass or pottery mixing bowl.

Cut tomato and onion in half. Preheat a well-seasoned griddle or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Place tomato, onion, chiles and bell pepper on griddle and roast 6 to 8 minutes, turning with tongs to lightly brown all sides. Seed and chop tomato and peel and chop onion. Place chiles and pepper in a closed paper bag for a few minutes to steam, then using a small sharp knife, peel them and remove and discard stem ribs and seeds. When handling hot chiles, be careful not to touch your face or eyes before washing your hands. Chop bell pepper and chiles.

Place chopped ingredients, fruit juices and sugar in blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper sauce. Pour marinade over the shrimp and toss. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

Before serving, toss the ceviche with red onion and cilantro. Transfer to serving plates, sprinkle with popcorn and corn nuts and serve. Makes 4 servings

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