Daniel Goldwater
Chef CMRJ
Jerusalem
Israel
Ceviche sounds much more appetising to the ear than macerated fish
As I have written previously I try to keep my column at the very least loosely connected to the culinary delights and food sources of the Mediterranean and Middle East regions. Recently I cooked for several high-end functions and in the coming posts wish to share with you the fish entrees I prepared for those events. As it is now summer at your end of the world these entrees could fit in nicely with that “benign” seasonal NZ weather.
Ceviche of fish is a wonderfully light, fresh and tangy serving of raw fish macerated with the juice of either lemons or limes. This particular recipe uses fresh Salmon obviously a cold-water fish (not connected to the Med.) but using the traditional Spanish method and presentation of Ceviche. In New Zealand you can use fresh snapper.
Ceviche was brought back like everything else by the Spanish from South America where it is considered a traditional food in countries such as Peru. Ceviche is essentially a marriage between the bounty of continents, citrus fruit, fish and other peoples traditional cooking. Today if the woke found out the origins of Ceviche they would accuse the colonial Spanish of cultural appropriation, but likely eat it anyway as it is very much worth the risk of “hypocrisy”.
While I used the Ceviche here as an entree you can easily enjoy it as a main course combining it alongside a colourful summer salad.
It is important to note that adding the lemon or Lime juice to the fresh fish mix kicks off the maceration process. I wouldn’t add the Citrus component more than an hour before serving so it doesn’t over macerate/cook the fish. (Health warning) Further, it is fresh fish and must be kept refrigerated until serving. Refrigerated shelf life for left overs would also be short if there is any.
Ceviche of Salmon
Ingredients: (makes twenty entrees or 6-8 mains)
- Very fresh Salmon x 750 gram
- Firm red onion diced fine x 1
- Pickled capers diced X 15-20
- Juice and zest of x 2 limes
- Jalapeno pepper x 1
- Red bell Pepper x 1
- Yellow Bell Pepper x 1
- Bunch of fresh Dill
- Bunch of fresh Parsley
- Bunch of fresh Coriander
- Bunch of fresh mint
- Olive oil couple of good shluks
- Salt & Pepper
Method:
Make sure you purchase very fresh fish from your Fishmonger. Find out the days they receive delivery of the fish you want to use and purchase same day as delivery.
Wash the Fresh Salmon in ice water, pat dry with kitchen paper towels, using a very sharp knife remove the skin and with tweezers any bones.
Slice small 5 mm cubes (I stress the need for very sharp knife so you don’t mash the fish) and add to a good sized mixing bowl.
Cut everything (except the Jalapeño) in Brunoise style very small, cut the greens finely without mashing it and add to the bowl, add Zest, oil, salt and pepper and two thirds of the lime Juice.
Take the Jalapeño slice it down the middle. The heat in the Jalapeño Chilli is contained in the seeds and flesh on the inside. You can control the heat by scraping out the seeds and flesh with small sharp knife. Once split down the middle I cut each half in half again and scrape out two of the quarters dice finely add, mix and taste. If you like a little heat in your life you can dice another quarter with the seeds and flesh adding a bit at a time and tasting as you go.
If you need to add the last of the lime juice do so after final tasting with all ingredients mixed in. To plate use a pastry cutting ring to the size that you want, spoon in the Ceviche and lightly press the Ceviche with the spoon while you lift up the ring. Decorate, eat with thin crostini brushed with olive oil and baked in oven.
Next week it is Seared Sesame Tuna, a very classy but super simple delicacy to prepare. Again it can be eaten both as an entree or a main.
“Adios” until next week.
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