Peruvian fish cebiche or ceviche
User Reviews
4.7
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
6 servings, as an appetizer
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Course
Appetizer
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Cuisine
South American, American, Peruvian
Peruvian fish cebiche or ceviche
Description
The recipe begins by soaking fish cubes in cold salted water to firm the flesh. Meanwhile, thinly sliced red onions are rubbed with salt and rinsed to mellow their pungency. The fish is rinsed to remove the soaking salt, then combined with half the onion slices and habanero peppers in a glass bowl. Freshly squeezed lime juice is poured over, creating a ceviche that cures in the refrigerator for 5 to 15 minutes, allowing the citric acid to lightly cook the fish and develop flavor.
The mixture is seasoned with salt and tossed with fresh cilantro before serving. Additional sliced onions, chopped cilantro, and diced hot peppers can be added as garnishes. Traditional accompaniments such as lettuce leaves, toasted corn nuts (cancha), fresh boiled corn, and fried or baked sweet potato and plantain chips offer contrasting textures and flavors that highlight the freshness of the ceviche.
Ice cubes can be added during marination to reduce the lime juice's acidity, maintaining balance especially when using varieties with stronger acid content. The dish is intended to be served immediately after preparation to enjoy the fresh and bright flavors distinct to Peruvian ceviche.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds fish fillet corvina, halibut, escolar, hamachi, mahi-mahi, very fresh and high quality
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup lime juice from about 35- 40 key limes, or 15-20 Peruvian limes, freshly squeezed
- 1-2 habanero pepper cut in half, without seeds and deveined
- 2-3 cilantro sprigs, fresh
- salt to taste
- cilantro finely chopped, to taste
To serve:
- lettuce leaves
- corn nuts Cancha, tostado or chulpe varieties
- corn fresh, boiled
- sweet potato thinly fried or baked chips, or boiled thick slices
- Green plantain chips or chifles
- hot peppers diced or sliced, optional
- olive oil optional
- lime slices
Instructions
- Cut the fish into small cubes, place in a glass bowl and cover with cold water and 1 tablespoon of salt, cover and refrigerate while you prepare the onions and juice the limes.
- Rub the thin onion slices with 1/2 tablespoon of salt and rinse in cold water.
- Rinse the fish to remove the salt
- Place the cubes of fish, half of the sliced onions, and hot peppers in a glass bowl and pour the lime juice over the ingredients. Sprinkle with a little bit of salt. To minimize the acidity of the limes you can put a few ice cubes in the mix.
- Cover and refrigerate for about 5-15 minutes.
- Remove the cilantro sprigs and the hot peppers from the mix. Taste the fish ceviche and add additional salt if needed.
- Use a spoon to place the ceviche in each serving bowl, add additional sliced onions to each bowl, sprinkle with finely chopped cilantro, and diced or sliced hot peppers.
- Serve immediately with your choice of sides and garnishes.
Notes
- Soaking fish in cold salted water helps maintain a firm texture when cured.
- Salting and rinsing onion slices reduces their bitterness for a milder flavor.
- Adding ice cubes during marination can counteract excessive lime acidity, particularly with strongly acidic lime varieties.
- Serve the ceviche immediately after preparation with traditional sides like corn nuts, fresh corn, and fried or baked sweet potato or plantain chips.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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