Passport & Plate - Lip-smacking sea bass & sweet potato ceviche
United Kingdom | Wednesday, March 4, 2015 | 5 photos
Ingredients
300g sea bass fillets, deboned and skin removed
1 small sweet potato, peeled
½ small red onion
½ tspn fine sea salt
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
Small bunch of coriander
Tiger's milk marinade:
1 cm chunk of ginger, peeled
1 small clove garlic
Juice of 4 limes
Juice of ½ orange
Couple of sprigs of coriander
Pinch of sea salt
How to prepare this recipe1. Cut the sweet potato into small cubes and steam for about 10 minutes, or until soft. Once cooked, set aside to cool.
2. While the sweet potato is cooking, make the tiger’s milk marinade. Cut the ginger and garlic in half and put them in a bowl along with some coriander sprigs and the citrus juices (both lime and orange). Give everything a good mix and leave for 5 minutes. Strain the mixture, add a touch of salt, and mix well.
3. Thinly slice the onion and put it in iced water for 5 minutes. Drain well and lay on kitchen towel to get rid of any remaining water.
4. Cut the sea bass into small thin slices (about 3 x 2cm). Carefully rub salt into the fish and leave in a bowl for a minute or 2. Add the tiger’s milk and red chilli. Leave to marinate for 10 minutes.
5. Roughly chop a small handful of coriander. Add this, the red onion and cubed sweet potato to the marinated fish, gently mixing it together with a spoon.
6. Divide between 2 bowls and eat straight away.
If you want a completely authentic experience, make sure you have plenty of pisco to hand or, even better, a jug of freshly prepared pisco sour!
The story behind this recipeThis recipe marks the beginning and end of a momentous journey through the Peruvian rainforest. In the literally breathtaking Cusco altitude, I gazed out into the central square filled with a kaleidoscope-like craziness of swirling parade dancers. I was savouring every mouthful of delicate lime ‘cooked’ seafood and a seemingly never ending stream of pisco concoctions. Hazy from a long flight, I felt lifted by the tangy, sweet and sour silky fish with its subtle chilli kick, and light crunch of corn cancha on the side. The ceviche was honest and upfront, not hiding behind fancy sauces. Most importantly, it was my last proper meal before the jungle.
I wasn’t in Cusco for a normal trekking holiday. My husband is a mad running type who likes ultra-marathons. I was lucky enough to be joining him as a checkpoint support staffer. My role was to smile brightly as feet-blistered runners stumbled in, fill up water bottles and send people on their way with encouraging words. It also involved heart pumping rides down Amazonian rivers and clambering through muddy rainforests. It was tough at times, but the kind of adventure I’d never experience at home. The one downside was the food. I had a bag of dried grains and vacuum packed lentils, plus a wide selection of bars and seeds. This was my main jungle sustenance.
Fast forward a week: I was tired, as crunchy as the cancha, and, after seven days of mostly reconstituted packet food, desperate for something fresh. Surrounded by the Cusco market lunchtime rush, the first crunch of chilli and eye-wincing tartness of lime made me feel alive. As the tender fish slices melted in my mouth, the long hours jolting along mountain roads, shivering through the night in my hammock, and tramping over insect-laden tracks faded away. I carried this feeling and recipe home. It’s a reminder that when everyday life gets challenging, I survived the jungle. And if all else fails, I can make simple ceviche in tiger's milk and feel revived.
