Ceviche a dish worth celebrating
Thompson: ‘No-cook’ seafood cool, bright and ideal for summer.
To me, ceviche is transportive. I close my eyes and all at once there is the sea and salt, the citrus and the spice, and I could be having a postsnorkel lunch, feet dangling over the side of a catamaran, or dinner on the dock after a day of fishing.
The first time I had it, though, was 20+ years ago at a beach bar on the Gulf Coast, a garlicky, lime-marinated amalgam of octopus, scallops and shrimp, served in a mix of diced tomatoes and onion and bright bits of cilantro. The shredded cabbage at the bottom was likely meant as a garnish, a nest on which the fish rested, but mixed in it added loads of crunch and became a spongy delivery mechanism for the delicious marinade that cooked the seafood.
Okay, not cooked-cooked, but that’s the neat thing about ceviche. It’s a “no-cook” seafood dish, where the citric acid from the fruit cooks the fish to perfection without a shred of heat.
“To some here [in the U.S.], it is strange to see a plate marinated/cooked in lime,” says Jesus Rojas, a native of Chosica — a district of Lima, Peru, “but to us, we eat it at a very young age and we enjoy it a lot. There is no event where you won’t see a plate of ceviche being served around in Peru. It is the most popular dish.”
Rojas and his brother, Dreyfus, have lived in Orlando for more than a decade and have been introducing guests to Peruvian cuisine — ceviche included — since 2016 at Memories of Peru (8204 Crystal Clear Lane, #1600 in Orlando). There’s a debate whether ceviche originated in Peru or Ecuador, he notes,
“but around the Colonial times is when our version was created.”
Celebrated and enjoyed in many Latin cultures (and everywhere on June 28, which is International Ceviche Day) ceviche encapsulates “freshness,” as it’s best consumed immediately post-preparation. It’s high in protein, low in carbs, cool and bright and ideal for the summer months.
What makes a good ceviche? Rojas says it’s all about “a good fish,” noting that the mix between the citrus juices — it’s not just limited to lime — and salt and cilantro and onions “create a feeling that’s hard to
describe.”
Fresh ingredients, though, are the key to making it a great one.
“I typically gravitate towards Florida fish: grouper, Mahi and or snapper,” says Chef Bruno Fonseca, who has served it on occasion at The Foreigner, his five-course confiance dinners here in town. “Those reflect our beaches well and the marinade’s acid “cooks” those fish very quickly.
Fonseca hails from Brazil, where ceviche is quite popular, as well.
“You’ll find it all over South America in beach towns,” he says. “The Brazilian variety often served with coconut milk.”
Ceviche is most often seen as an appetizer in the U.S. but can be served as a main, as well. Sides that complement could include grains, such as quinoa, or starchy sweet potatoes, but my favorite is a simple add of plantain chips for scooping. I like it spicy. Hunks of avocado offer a creamy contrast to the snap of the salt and the slaw.
“Every region of Peru has its own version of ceviche” says Rojas, whose menu — in both the IDrive and Florida Mall locations — boasts several. Octopus, squid, shrimp and mussels star in the ceviche de mariscos, while others boast white fish and the pop of a Peruvian favorite: the rocoto pepper. “They all make it differently and flavors vary.”
Fonseca’s version, shared below, “is a great blank canvas for those looking to make it at home. You can find the majority of the ingredients at your typical grocery store.”
Or you can skip it, set the table out back and take out a delicious version or three for sampling alongside a crisp sauvignon blanc.
Want to reach out? Find me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @amydroo or on the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: amthompson@orlandosentinel.com.