Passport & Plate - Peruvian Ceviche – Mancora Style
Peru | Friday, March 14, 2014 | 3 photos
Ingredients
1 raw white bass fillet sliced in mouth size chunks – 200 - 300grams
10 juicy green limes
1 small sliced red chilli (optional but highly recommended)
1 small sliced red onion
Salt & Pepper to season
To accompany;
1 small sweet potato / yam – boiled to perfection
1 Corn cob for;
Half a handful of boiled Peruvian corn kernels
Half a handful of Cancha - toasted Peruvian corn kernels
A handful of freshly cut crunchy iceberg lettuce
A couple of slices of tomato and some red onion
Half a sliced lime for garnish/ more lime goodness!
How to prepare this recipeBoil a large pot of water and have a steamer pot to assist. Steam sweet potato whole for approximately 30 minutes or until just tender. Test with a fork. Keep water to reuse for corn. Set aside cool then refrigerate.
Bring to boil the recycled water, add corn cob and boil for 3-4 minutes. Do not over boil as kernels need to be crunchy. Cool after boiling. Corn kernels will need to be dislodged from cob. Half chilled for plating and the other half lightly toasted.
Heat a medium fry pan with a dash of oil. Add half your boiled kernels and some salt, toast until golden brown. You have now made Cancha! Cool before serving
Squeeze 9 ½ limes in a small bowl and add finely sliced chilli and 2/3 of the red onion with salt and pepper to taste. Slice fish to small mouth size pieces ready. Put these ingredients aside.
Prepare sides; Have a handful of lettuce sliced and ready. Also the other 1/3 of red onion and 2-3 slices of tomato. Ensure corn is chilled and ready and plating.
Add sliced fish into lime, chilli, red onion mixture. The acidity will slightly whiten/ cook the flesh. Plate with all of the lime juice, a lot of the flavour is in this delicious citrus soup. Add side salad, boiled yam, fresh and toasted corns. Garnish with half a lime sliced to taste and salad dressing on side salad if desired.
Serve and eat with punctuality as if left for a period the acidity will ‘cook’ the fish all the way through.
Buen provecho
The story behind this recipeFor 4 months Ceviche was my addiction, my hangover cue, my detox dining. This plate is in complete abundance in this Peruvian sea side town! On the street and in the local market small plates costing just 5 soles/ US$2.50, Cevicherias were and are the place to be. The feeling of that first piece hits your tongue and just melts away in your mouth like a little cloud. The citrus juice with the hint of aji (chilli) tickles your tongue. If the aji is too much for you, nibble on a little sweet potato to sooth the slight burn. Crunch the fresh corn kernels for a little palate cleanser then get right back into another fork full. Munch into the Cancha with the salad, for a sneaky salty crunch. I’m not religious but my gosh, I praise the lord I am not allergic to seafood, I also praise the lord I have been blessed with taste.
Eating to some, a lot actually unfortunately seems to be a chore in Australia. Growing up in my household it was unfortunately but only due to lack of money. I am 1 of 6 siblings, the only 1 that was good eating all their veggies from infancy actually. Couldn't get enough of ‘em apparently! In primary school I was studying Japanese so I ate sushi for the first time when I was 11. Sushi consumption among young children is now very common but in the 1990’s in Australia it wasn't. At home I grew up with repetitious meals, having to feed a large family my mother had to make do with what was affordable. So a lot of mince meals, chops used in stews, basic veggies, a lot frozen as it was cheaper. I don’t miss those days. I stopped eating red meat at 14 for a period of about 4 years. Once I moved out and started dating I found out that there was actually meat out there that you can cook perfectly so it’s chewable, succulent and enjoyable. So I jumped back on the carnivore train. I love my steak Medium rare. My palate has found to quiet enjoy fish also in this non cooked state. Hence my addiction to Ceviche.
