Ceviche is raw fish “cooked” by acid, usually lime juice. This is a very traditional recipe with the exception of the sweet corn.

I added it for a bit of summer sweetness and texture with the super fresh fish for a wedding that I catered recently. The bride was very happy and thus, I was very happy.

If you are a bit squeamish about raw fish, let me assure you that once the ceviche has marinated in the lime juice, you wouldn’t notice a difference had the fish been cooked in a traditional manner.

Ceviche with Corn and Jalapeño

If you have never eaten ceviche before, let me assure you that once it has properly marinated, it is not like eating sushi. You will not be able to tell that the fish was raw. The acid “cooks” the fish, without heat, and the texture is much like fish cooked in a pan. It is bright tasting and full of flavor. Try eating it scooped onto tortilla chips or even crackers, or scooped up with a warm tortilla.
The first thing I must stress about ceviche is the freshness and type of fish. It is imperative that the fish be extremely fresh. The best kinds of fish for ceviche are semi-firm fish like sole, flounder, sea bass or snapper. Once you have these two criteria met, it’s just a matter of chopping and mixing. It couldn’t be easier.

Ceviche

Next, decide what you would like to mix in to your fish. I’ve kept it simple with red onion, corn, japaleño and cilantro. Other times, I mix in tomatoes, bell pepper, mango, cucumber, etc. Use this as a template and experiment on your own to see what suits your taste!

Chef’s Tips:

Keep fish cold when you bring it home. Set over ice in the refrigerator.
Do not over-marinate fish. Leaving in the acid for hours and hours will break down the flesh.
Remove the bloodline – the dark line running down the middle of the back of the fillet.
Dice everything roughly the same size, it will make eating the ceviche easier and everything will be marinated evenly.

Other seafood recipes we love: Thai Curry Shrimp | Gambas al Ajillo | Corvina with Butter and Herbs