Jul 13 2008
Ramon’s ceviche de pescado or fish ceviche
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Published by Laylita at 12:36 pm under Appetizers, Ceviches, Hangover cures, Meatless, Seafood, South America
It has been a great week full of sun and zero rain here in the Seattle area, this is what everyone who has had to endure the very long winter and cold spring have been waiting for, obviously this means that I have been trying to spend as much time outside and away from the computer, but I can’t overcome my blogging addiction and have so many great summer recipes to share. Ceviche is one of those refreshing dishes that is perfect for the summer or anytime (especially when you have a hangover). This is my brother’s recipe for fish ceviche, whenever he visits he knows that he will have to make ceviche for us, this is great because not only is his ceviche awesome but he also does all the work (dicing the fish and vegetables and squeezing all those limes is hard work). Ramon uses shallots instead of onions, he finds the shallots to be much closer to the Ecuadorian cebolla paiteña, and he also adds some spicy hot peppers and garlic when the fish is “cooking” in the lime juice to infuse a little spiciness into the fish.
Ecuadorian ceviche – which for most of my life I thought was the only real ceviche – is different than it’s Peruvian counterpart in that the ceviche is soupier, the fish is served in the lime juice with tomatoes, peppers, onions (or shallots in this case) and chopped cilantro, it is typically served in a bowl with chifles, patacones, popcorn or corn nuts and eaten with a spoon; while the Peruvian version is served without the juice and with pickled onions, sweet potatoes, and corn on the side. For me (and many other Ecuadorians) the juice is an essential component and one of the best parts is drinking up the juice at the end. Ceviche can be made with many different types of seafood and non-seafood ingredients, but typically ceviche made with fish is the one where lime juice “cooks” the fish, for other types of ceviches -shrimp, octopus – the seafood is actually cooked with regular heat and then marinates with the lime juice and vegetables. It essentially depends on the seafood, the more delicate and the fresher seafood is more likely it is to be cooked with lime juice, or some like the ceviche de concha, a ceviche made from fresh black clams, is usually made fresh right before you – the black clam ceviche is very special and doesn’t appeal to everyone, so people either love it or hate it.
My final two-cents on ceviche, especially on eating ceviche in Ecuador, it is best to try ceviche at the beach or on the coast. The highlands are not the ideal place to eat seafood ceviches (there are a few good places but I wouldn’t walk it to any random restaurant and order ceviche in the highlands, you have to know where to go). It really drives me crazy when I talk to someone who complains about the seafood in Ecuador but yet only had seafood in the mountains – like my dear husband.
Ingredients:
2 lbs of white fish fillets (corvina, halibut, sea bass, tilapia, sole), cut into small square pieces
2-3 hot peppers, red chilies or serranos, sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
4-5 large shallots, peeled and sliced finely
4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced very finely
2 bell peppers, 1 orange and 1 yellow, diced finely
20 limes, separated into about 10 limes to cook the fish and 10 limes for the ceviche marinade
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped as finely as possible
2-3 tbs sunflower oil
Salt to taste
Preparation:
- Place the raw fish pieces in a glass dish and cover it with salt, hot peppers, crushed garlic, a tablespoon of chopped cilantro, and lime juice from about 10 limes, the fish should be completely covered by lime juice.
- Cover the dish with plastic wrap and chill, let the fish cook itself in the lime juice for at least 4 hours.
- Place the sliced shallots in a bowl, cover them with warm water and salt, let rest for at least 10 minutes, drain and rinse well.
- Once the fish is “cooked” in the lime juice rinse it well, removing the hot peppers, garlic and cilantro.
- Combine the fish with the shallots, tomatoes, bell peppers, cilantro, and lime juice from remaining 10 limes, sunflower oil and salt to taste in a large non-reactive bowl, mix well and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Serve with chifles, patacones, popcorn or corn nuts as well as with some good hot sauce or aji.
More ceviche recipes:
This looks so refreshing! It would have been perfect for this sunny warm weekend.
That’s something I really like! Your cerviche looks very good!
Cheers,
Rosa
Just made this with dinner….on (one of the few) warm Wisconsin evening. ¡Perfecto! So many of your recipes are just like my abuelas made. Gracias.
Nice yummy pictures! This is something I never made.
Mmmm…Looks lovely! I miss Ecuadorian ceviche and the idea that fish is the best way to get rid of a hangover–most americans find that kind of weird…I love it though, there was a place on my way to work in Quito called ‘Cevicheria Saca la Resaca”
I only heard about Peruvian ceviche, but makes sense. Your story and recipe are so interesting. love it !!!
yum yum YUM. i love ceviche, but i’ve never tried to make it myself. first time for everything though!
Another dish that we love but have never made at home… it’s time!
Thanks for the education re the different kinds of ceviche. We recently dined in a home-y type place that serves various Latin American foods, but we didn’t really know what makes each food different from each other, in terms of country of origin. We’ll post something about this and hopefully you can enlighten us! =)
(P.S. That ceviche looks so good!)
On my trip to Ecuador last year, I never made it down to the coast (spent all my time in Quito and Riobamba) and I could not find any cevicerías. When I go back next year I plan on making a trip to the coast for some good seafood.
In the meantime, I have a new recipe to try – thanks!
Hi Scott – Definitely go to the coast, the beaches are great and the food is even better!
This looks awesome!! So clean, fresh and simple.
Have you guys been to Mutual Fish in Seattle? It’s my favorite fishmonger by a mile.
Hi Matt – Thank you so much for the tip, I haven’t been there yet but will check it out for sure (especially since I love all the seafood dishes you show on your blog – the seafood always looks so fresh).
This is one of my favourite restaurant dishes, but, I confess I’ve never made it myself. This version looks and sounds amazing
Slowly but surely, my appetite is returning to me. I can almost taste this ceviche.
Paz
WOW!!!!! my mouth is watering……
As a Peruvian, I’m willing to give it a try… My Ecuadorian husband will love it, though, I’m sure!!
Fantastic recipe. I have been trying to find a recipe similar to a ceviche I had in San Antonio and this surpasses that one. Great taste and awesome presentation. Thanks.
great recipe-you cook the fish only with the limes?
Hi Kira – Yes, the lime juice cooks the fish.
Fantastic photos! This sounds wonderful. Next time I’m in Seattle and buy some excellent fish, I’ll make this one. Looking forward to meeting you at the dinner :-]
I just made this last weekend and I must say that it was a complete success! the only thing I did differently was that I added a little fresh ground ginger. Great Recipe!
Ah, Laylita. We are making ceviche right now and my mouth is watering – only from your description. Wonderful!
Our friend used to make a very nice seviche but I had never tried to make it myself though. I had some in a Peruvian restautrant in Sarasota, very disappointing. But now, but now finally a great recipe from you and I can’t wait to make it, hopefully in the next few days. Will let you know how it turned out.
Elisabeth
Travelled to Ecuador last year. Loved everything about it. As we are Australians, and Ceviche not a dish that is available here, We had our first ceviche in Ecuador. After our first try we were ceviche lovers for life. We had great ceviche in Quito, but even better down at the Beautiful town of Montanita. Have just tried your recipe, and wowed friends with it. We are heading back to Montanita next year for more surf, sun and Ceviche. Thanks for the recipe.
Lailita, podrias poner este recipe en espanol para q’ mi madre lo pueda hacer al pie de la letra.
I will be very thankful .pepe
YUMMY!! But I wanted to let you know that in Peru we ALSO love the juices in the ceviche – so much so that we drink it as a shot at the end of the meal. This delicacy is known as leche de tigre!