Ceviche Frito Recipe

Prepare seafood and acid-cure briefly

Pat the fish and shrimp pieces dry with paper towels. Place them in a non-reactive bowl. Pour the lime and lemon juice over the seafood, stir to coat, then sprinkle the kosher salt and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes only — this is a short ceviche cure to firm and flavor the seafood without fully 'cooking' it through, leaving it suitable for a quick fry. After 15 minutes, drain the seafood in a fine mesh sieve and reserve 2 tablespoons of the citrus marinade for later mixing with the vegetables.

Prepare mix-ins

While the seafood cures, place the thinly sliced red onion in a bowl with a pinch of salt and enough cold water to cover; let sit 5 minutes to mellow the raw bite, then drain and squeeze gently to remove excess water. Combine the drained onion, diced tomatoes, minced chile, and chopped cilantro in a bowl. Add the 2 tablespoons of reserved citrus marinade and toss. Season lightly with a pinch of salt and set aside chilled.

Make batter

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch, cornmeal (if using), baking powder, salt, and black pepper. In a separate small bowl beat the egg and then whisk it into the cold sparkling water or beer. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk briefly until just combined — the batter should be slightly lumpy and cold. If it seems too thick to coat pieces, add up to 2 tablespoons more cold water. Keep the batter chilled until ready to fry.

Coat seafood

Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C) in a deep pot or Dutch oven (use a thermometer). Pat the marinated seafood pieces dry again so the batter sticks. Working in batches, lightly dredge each piece in a little extra flour (you can reserve 1/4 cup flour for this step), then dip into the cold batter to fully coat. Allow excess batter to drip back into the bowl.

Fry until golden

Carefully lower battered seafood pieces into the hot oil without overcrowding the pot. Fry in small batches 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown and crisp and the seafood is cooked through (internal pieces will be opaque and firm). Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or to paper towel-lined tray to drain. Sprinkle lightly with salt while hot. Let oil return to 350°F between batches.

Assemble and serve

To serve Ceviche Frito, spoon a portion of the chilled vegetable-herb mixture onto a serving plate. Arrange several pieces of fried seafood on top. Garnish with additional cilantro if desired and serve with lime wedges and hot sauce on the side. Provide toothpicks or small skewers for easy picking. Enjoy immediately while the fried seafood is hot and crisp contrasted with the bright, acidic ceviche-style vegetables.