BY NOEL CUNNINGHAM
Ceviche is a seafood dish that originated in Peru typically made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices, such as lemon or lime, and spiced with chili peppers or other seasonings including chopped onions, salt, and coriander. Because the dish is not cooked with heat, it must be prepared and consumed fresh to minimize the risk of food poisoning; however, the acid from the limes and lemons change the structure of the proteins in the fish, essentially “cooking” the fish without using heat.
Ceviche is usually accompanied by side dishes that complement its flavours, such as sweet potato, lettuce, corn, avocado, or simply with chips. The dish is popular in the Pacific coastal regions of Latin America. Though the origin of ceviche is hotly debated, in Peru it is considered a national dish.
This week I’m sharing with you one of my favorite ways to enjoy ceviche with a Caribbean flair. I lightly blanched the shrimp then added avocado and finely chopped scotch bonnet peppers to give it life and freshness when combined with the lime juice. Ceviche is an easy appetizer that you can serve at any gathering.
Ingredients
- 1 Pound medium shrimp
- 1/4 cup lime juice (about 4 limes total) freshly squeezed
- 6 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
- 2 to 4 Serrano chiles/ ½ scotch bonnet pepper, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano, preferably Mexican
- 1 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tsp salt
- Tortilla chips, for servings
Directions
Step 1
Fill a large pot with 1 quart of water. Cut 4 limes in half and squeeze their juice into the pot; add lime halves. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat; let mixture steep for about 10 minutes. Return to a boil.
Step 2
Add shrimp to the pot. As soon as water returns to a rolling boil, pour shrimp mixture into a colander, discard cooking liquid and limes. Return shrimp to pot; cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a baking sheet and spread them out; let stand until cool enough to handle.
Step 3
Peel and devein shrimp and cut into small pieces. Transfer to a medium bowl; stir in 1/4 cup lime juice and the scallions, chiles, vinegar, thyme, and oregano. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Step 4
When ready to serve, stir avocados, cilantro, and salt into shrimp mixture. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy.
