One of the more fancy and impressive dishes in this cook’s repertoire actually involves no cooking at all and is almost universally enjoyed by those of my friends who’ve tried it. However, at least in my experience, it’s downright remarkable how few people know how to make it. That dish, whose origins are still debated (but whose qualities are generally acknowledged to have been most fulsomely extrapolated in Peru), is Ceviche:
The ceviche method of preparing fish is elemental to coastal South American cuisine and was born out of the need to preserve food. The true birthplace of the dish isn’t completely clear: The Incan Empire preserved fish with fruit juices, salt, and chili peppers, and the introduction of limes from Spanish conquerors brought citrus juices into the picture. Some sources even indicate origins as far away as the Polynesian Islands in the South Pacific. Regardless of the exact origin, the most varied and plentiful examples of the dish are found in Peruvian kitchens and restaurants—the country has even declared ceviche as its national dish.
Often served as an appetizer, ceviche (pronounced "seh-vee-chay”) is not only extremely easy to make but is one of the few dishes possessed of a certain cachet that, if served to guests, is all but certain to increase your social standing by several orders of magnitude. As described in the New York Times, the dish as served in Peru even provides a social component:
"Ceviche is a way to grab people, to get them sitting down in the middle of the day and start talking, to take their minds off their problems," said Adolfo Perret Bermudez, the owner and head chef at Punta Sal, one of Lima's finest cevicherias. "You serve it with cold beer, give them music in the background and they'll sit for hours. Ceviche to Peruvians is like pasta to Italians."
Peruvian ceviche
In fact, the hardest part about making ceviche is deciding what vessel to serve it in. Because, really, all it involves is finely mincing a few vegetables and hot chili peppers (serrano or jalapeno are fine), and dicing up (¼ to ½ inch dice) a thick piece of clean, preferably firm white fish (you can use raw, peeled shrimp as well), together with a few herbs. Dump those into a bowl or sealable quart or gallon-size plastic bag with a half cup of lime juice, let it sit for two-three hours in the refrigerator, and you’re done --just add some avocado, or tomato if you like, and some cilantro as garnish. No cooking is involved because the dish “cooks” or macerates itself in the lime juice, a process known as denaturing.
As described in Southern Living:
Ceviche is a seafood dish where diced cubes of raw fish marinate in a lemon or lime juice mixture, and the reaction of the citrus juices cures the fish protein and causes it to become opaque and firm while absorbing flavor. This process is called denaturing—you’re more familiar with the process of denaturing with heat, a.k.a. cooking, but this reaction achieves a similar effect. After curing, the fish is then served with colorful seasoning elements such as onions, cilantro, and peppers. It’s a simple and bracing dish where fresh fish and bright flavors are put on display.
Ceviche can be tart, spicy or sweet, depending on what ingredients you choose to use. Adding coconut milk, for example, gives it a smooth, sweet character that combined with peppers and citrusy juices that is wholly unique. I’ve found Emeril LaGasse’s recipe for traditional ceviche to be be one of the best formulations for basic ceviche; you can branch off his suggestions with other types of peppers and vegetables as well:
Emeril’s ceviche:
Ingredients
- 3/4 pound very fresh white fleshed ocean fish, such as cod
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (about 2) minced serrano peppers
- 1/2 cup chopped tomato
- 1/2 cup small diced avocado
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 corn tortillas, cut into thick strips and fried until crisp
- Lime wedges
[Cut the fish into 1/2-inch dice. Place in a glass dish with the lime juice. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Drain the fish and add the peppers, tomato, avocado, onion, cilantro, olive oil, and salt. Fold gently to mix. Serve with some fried tortilla strips and garnish with lime wedges].
Lime juice is probably the best medium for ceviche, but other recipes suggest a mix of orange, lime and lemon juices for the macerating; using these will give you a different flavor character, as will the addition of cut fruit such as mango. Any firm, white fish will generally work (I generally use halibut; some recipes suggest sea bass and grouper), but if you are feeling more adventurous, you can use octopus, prawns or ahi tuna. The time necessary for the fish to “cook” itself is also hotly debated, with some chefs allowing only a few minutes, and some up to 2-3 hours. Because you are dealing with raw fish after all is said and done, I suggest at least an hour and a half.
Does this look cool, or what?
As I noted above, whatever recipe you settle on, if you really want to impress your guests (or yourself), serve it in a cocktail or martini glass, together with a slice of lime or avocado, with a cilantro garnish, as depicted in the photograph on the right. The dish is best eaten with a small fork.
One caveat—you should eat ceviche on the day it is made. Although it will theoretically “keep” for a day or two, the fish tends to get chewy and over-saturated with citrus as it continues to macerate. Plus, you probably don’t want to eat any cooked fish that has been sitting for more than a day anyway. And you probably should avoid eating it if you’re pregnant.
As noted by a self-described ”ceviche expert” quoted by the New York Times, the appeal of this dish is universal:
"For us, ceviche is the only truly multiclass dish," said Antonio Cisneros, a Peruvian poet and avowed ceviche expert.
"The most important thing is that you have to overcome your fear of raw fish."
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