Ceviche

Ceviche is one of my absolute favorite dishes, especially for spring and summer. The freshness of the lime juice, the crunch of the veg and of course the succulent morsels of fish. Eating this on a tostada or with tortilla chips is traditional and adds another amazing layer of texture.

If you’re not familiar with Ceviche it’s a dish that exalts the freshest seafood; so that’s where you have to start! The next ingredient is salt and then lime juice, and some purists will say, “that’s it!”. The magic behind ceviche is the strong acids in the lime juice. Most people say that the acid cooks the fish but that’s a bit ambiguous, especially as many people relate the word ‘cooked’ to a form of heat.

So what’s really happening?

When proteins are denatured you see changes in the colour and texture of the fish. This phenomenon occurs both with acid (eg. lime juice) and with heat (eg. grilling fish). So while both options achieve a similar textured protein each method has its benefits. One of the most notable advantages of cooking is that heat kills many harmful bacteria and pathogens. Sorry to go here but I have to! This is why when making ceviche you have to use delicious smelling, fresh fish, and of course wash your hands, tools and work surfaces well before preparing!

If you do, even you nervous nellies can enjoy the amazing treat that is ceviche!

Please consider donating to my fundraiser for World Central Kitchen! They help with food scarcity during disasters and are doing a lot of good feeding the hungry in NYC and across the US during the Covid-19 Pandemic, as well as supporting our healthcare workers!