Category:  Fish & Shellfish

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Active prep time: 15 to 20 minutes
Serves: 4

Ceviche is very popular in Mexico and now globally. It’s made with fresh white fish (cod, halibut or sea bass) and usually served with tostadas. You can also enjoy ceviche as an added protein to a green salad at lunch or dinner. Buen provecho!

Ingredients:
1 pound (16 ounces) fresh cod, halibut or sea bass, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
Juice from 10 to 12 limes
1/2 of a medium red or yellow onion, finely-chopped
3 Roma tomatoes, cut in half, inner pulp discarded and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
6 sprigs fresh cilantro, stems discarded and leaves finely-chopped
1 Serrano chile, finely-chopped
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
8 to 12 corn tostadas

Directions:
1. Place the cutup fish in a 4–quart glass or porcelain bowl.

2. Pour the lime juice onto the fish and mix with a spoon.

3. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

4. After 2 to 3 hours, using cooks’ plastic gloves, grab enough fish to fit in your palm and drain and squeeze the excess lime juice out, discarding it.

5. Place the drained fish in another glass or porcelain bowl; continue this process with remaining fish.

6. When all the fish has been drained and placed in bowl, mix in all ingredients except for tostadas. Taste and adjust chile, salt and black pepper levels.

7. Serve immediately by spooning a thin layer onto one tostada per person. If guests would like more, then serve the ceviche tostadas as you go along. This will keep the tostadas crispy and not soggy with the weight of the ceviche.

8. Alternatively, do not serve immediately, but cover the bowl of ceviche with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 6 hours if serving the same day. If not, ceviche makes good leftovers for up to one day after it has been prepared.
Text & Photograph ©2026 Nancy DeLucia Real

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Prep time: 10 to 15 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6

I first had tuna ceviche at a seafood restaurant in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. It reminded me of tuna tartare or tuna poke. Here’s my take on this Japanese-inspired, Mexican food.

INGREDIENTS:
Two 6 to 8-ounce sushi-grade tuna filets, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (available at a Japanese supermarket or seafood section of any supermarket)
Juice of 1 to 2 limes
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chopped jalapeno pepper
1/2 red onion, peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup finely-chopped carrot
1/2 cup finely-chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper, to taste
1 package corn tostadas

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large glass or porcelain bowl, combine the tuna, juice from one lime, Dijon mustard, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon jalapeño pepper, red onion, carrot, cilantro, salt and ground black pepper.

2. Toss all ingredients together; taste.

3. If more lime juice, jalapeño and/or salt are needed, add a little more; taste once more.

4. If needed, adjust seasonings again.

5. Serve the tuna ceviche immediately on corn tostadas.

6. The tuna ceviche can be made a few hours ahead on the same day, covered and refrigerated.
Text & Photograph ©2025 Nancy DeLucia Real

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Wondering why you see the word “wild”? Since Italians have enjoyed wild shrimp for millennia, we realize that wild shrimp are sweeter than the farm-raised variety. In order to taste the ocean, salt and sweetness of these little crustaceans, I literally bite a chunk off (shell and all) while standing at the fish market. It’s okay – the fishmongers know me well and laugh it off. When shrimp are farm-raised, they are literally flavorless.

This Italian style salad has limited ingredients so that the sweet, wild shrimp flavor stands out at every bite.

Prep time: 15 to 20 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
1 to 1-1/2 pounds wild shrimp, peeled and deveined (top and bottom veins)
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 of a yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup fresh, flat leaf Italian parsley, finely minced

Directions:
1. Rinse the shrimp under cold water, drain and transfer to a 6-quart saucepot.

2. Cover shrimp with cold water and place saucepot on burner set on high – uncovered.

3. Stand by to make sure water does not foam up and spill out of saucepot.

4. When shrimp come to a boil, cook until flesh is opaque and pink – about 1 to 2 minutes. DO NOT OVERCOOK.

5. Taste a shrimp to make sure it is cooked through.

6. When shrimp are cooked, immediately drain them into a colander set over a sink.

7. Transfer shrimp to a large glass or porcelain bowl.

8. Add remaining ingredients; toss and taste.

9. If needed, adjust seasoning levels.

10. Cover salad with aluminum foil and let cool. Serve at room temperature.

11. Alternatively, prepare salad 2 to 3 hours ahead and refrigerate, covered. Wild Shrimp Salad – Italian Style can also be served cold.
Text & Photograph ©2020 Nancy DeLucia Real

If you want to stay in on Valentine’s Day, make this tuna tartare appetizer. It’ll pair well with the bubbly. And – you’ll have fun in the kitchen!

Prep time: 15 minutes
Makes: 12 to 14 bite-size starters

Ingredients:
One 5 to 6-ounce sushi-grade tuna filet, chopped in 1/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons finely-chopped chives or stems from green onions
1/2 teaspoon grated, fresh ginger
juice from 1 lime
1 tablespoon olive oil
dried, crushed red chili pepper, to taste
salt, to taste (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt)
4 Persian cucumbers, peeled and tips cut & discarded

Directions:
1. In a 4-cup mixing bowl, combine the chopped tuna filet, chives or green onions, ginger, lime juice, olive oil, chili pepper and salt.

2. Taste the tuna tartare and, if needed, adjust seasoning and olive oil levels.

3. Cover the tuna tartare and set aside.

4. Meanwhile, using a sharp knife or mandolin, take one cucumber and make paper-thin slices lengthwise.

5. Repeat slicing remaining cucumber.

6. Working with one cucumber slice at a time, place scant 3/4 teaspoon tuna tartare at one end.

7. Gently and tightly roll up the cucumber slice; secure the tuna tartare roll with a toothpick.

8. Set each tuna tartare roll on a serving plate.

9. When all rolls have been assembled, serve them immediately.
Wine Pairing: Champagne, Prosecco or Sauvignon Blanc wine
Text & Photograph ©2018 Nancy DeLucia Real