Ceviche is raw fish cooked in an acidic marinade. The acid essentially “cooks” the fish without any grilling or heat. As the fish sits in the citrus, the acid penetrates the meat and breaks down the proteins, giving the fish a cooked look and texture.
Alaskan halibut is my all-time favorite fish for ceviche because it’s wild-caught and sustainable, and the flavor is sweet and mild. But for this recipe, you can also use any other semi-firm whitefish.
Ceviche is refreshing and is our go-to meal when it’s hot outside, or when we’re looking for something light and healthy to eat during the summer months.
There are different ways to serve ceviche depending on your mood. Serve it in a bowl with chips alongside. Pile it on top of crispy tostadas. Generously layer it on top of chips for a fresh take on nachos. Cut an avocado in half, remove the pit and add ceviche as filling. Scoop the ceviche into glasses for individual appetizers.
INGREDIENTS
1½ pounds halibut, skinned, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
¾ cup lime juice (about 7 limes)
2 medium tomatoes, diced
½ cup red onion, finely chopped
½ cup cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 serrano chili, finely minced
1 teaspoon sea salt or more to taste
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Mini (3-inch) crisp tostada shells or tortilla chips
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Put halibut in a glass bowl; cover completely with lime juice. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients (except tostada shells or tortilla chips) in another bowl. Chill in the refrigerator while the halibut is finishing.
When the halibut is ready, put it into a mesh strainer and separate the fish from the lime juice, putting fish into a bowl. Discard the lime juice.
Drain most of the juice from the tomato mixture and add the remaining mixture to the bowl with the halibut. Gently mix well. Discard the remaining juice.
Serve with mini tostada shells or tortilla chips.
As seen in LaDonna Gundersen’s The Little Alaskan Halibut Cookbook
