After the holidays, I’m preparing delicious, guilt-free foods.
This ceviche recipe is from Mexico. The fish is marinated in lime juice. Just add carrots, cilantro, onion, olive oil … it’s fantastic! You can serve ceviche on tostadas as a starter. Alternatively, these tostadas are perfect for a light lunch or dinner.
Active prep time: 15 minutes
Inactive prep time: 1 hour (fish & lime juice marinate in refrigerator)
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh cod or halibut fillets
Juice from 12 to 14 limes
1/2 cup chopped, red onion
1 carrot, peeled and finely shredded
1/3 cup finely-chopped cilantro (coriander)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chopped, fresh jalapeño pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
12 corn tostada shells
Directions:
1. Rinse the fish fillets under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels.
2. Place the fillets in a 3-quart glass or porcelain bowl.
3. Using shears, make continuous cuts into the fillets until 1/2-inch pieces have formed.
4. Pour the lime juice over the fish pieces; cover bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator.
5. Leave the fish and lime juice to marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour.
6. Meanwhile, place the chopped onion in a glass or porcelain bowl and cover it with cold water; set aside.
7. After one hour, transfer the bowl with the fish to a counter near a sink.
8. Wearing cooks’ rubber or plastic gloves, grab a handful of fish and squeeze out the excess lime juice over a sink.
9. Place the squeezed fish pieces in a clean glass or porcelain bowl.
10. Continue this process until all the fish has been drained of excess lime juice.
11. Rinse the gloves and, using the same squeezing process, repeat this technique with the onion.
12. Add the squeezed onion pieces to the fish ceviche in bowl.
13. Stir in the carrot, cilantro, jalapeño, olive oil, salt and pepper.
14. Place 3 tablespoons ceviche on a corn tostada shell. Repeat this procedure on remaining tostada shells. Serve immediately.
Wine pairing: Chilled Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
Text and Photograph ©2016 Nancy DeLucia Real
Nancy DeLucia Real is an art historian and chef. She has led culinary courses at the Italian Cultural Institute and is a member of the Culinary Historians of Southern California. Nancy's gastronomy training took place in the heart of Italy under the tutelage of her grandmother. She has taught international cuisine at Williams Sonoma and Sur la Table Stores. Nancy's art history & culinary courses are ongoing at various institutions. She also teaches private cooking classes. 
