Ceviche Recipe

Ceviche

1. 1

   Prepare fish

   Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Trim any remaining connective tissue and cut into uniform 1/2-inch cubes (about 3/4–1 inch if you prefer chunkier pieces). Place the fish cubes in a nonreactive bowl (glass or stainless steel).

2. 2

   Juice citrus

   Combine fresh lime and lemon juice. You should have roughly 1 to 1 1/2 cups total juice to adequately cover and 'cook' the fish. Remove seeds.

3. 3

   Marinate fish

   Pour the citrus juice over the fish pieces so they are submerged. Gently stir to ensure even coverage. Cover and refrigerate. Marinate for 15–20 minutes for 1/2-inch pieces (fish should turn opaque and slightly firm). For larger pieces (3/4–1 inch), marinate 25–30 minutes. Periodically stir once or twice to expose all pieces to juice.

4. 4

   Prepare vegetables and herbs

   While the fish marinates, thinly slice the red onion and rinse briefly under cold water (optional) to reduce bite, then drain. Dice the seeded tomato, finely chop the jalapeño (leave seeds in if you want more heat), and roughly chop the cilantro. Dice the avocado if using and keep chilled.

5. 5

   Combine and season

   When the fish is opaque and 'cooked' through by the citrus (test one piece), drain about half of the citrus from the bowl if you prefer a less-soupy ceviche, leaving enough to keep the mixture moist. Add the sliced onion, tomato, chopped chile, and cilantro to the fish. Gently fold to combine. Season with kosher salt (about 1 tsp) and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust salt or citrus as needed.

6. 6

   Finish and rest briefly

   If using, fold in the diced avocado at the end to avoid mashing. Drizzle 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over the top (optional) and give a gentle stir. Let the combined ceviche rest chilled for 5–10 minutes to meld flavors, but serve within 30 minutes of adding avocado for best texture.

7. 7

   Serve

   Serve chilled in small bowls or on tostada shells or tortilla chips. Garnish with extra cilantro leaves and lime wedges if desired. If some pieces of fish appear over-marinated, you can briefly rinse them with cold water or stir in a few ice cubes and drain to stop the 'cooking' process before serving.