f you love the clean taste of fresh fish and bold, bright flavors – the kind that make your tastebuds trip over themselves in delight – then you are going to love this recipe. And while many are new to ceviche (pronounced suh-vee-chay), this dish, which originates in South America, actually dates back several centuries ago.
Sometimes mistaken for raw seafood, ceviche is actually a method of cooking by contact with the acidic juice of limes, lemons or a combination of both, instead of heat.
Ceviche can be enjoyed as a first course or a main dish, depending on how you serve it. For this recipe, Mercury Pro Team member Capt. Ali Hussainy, co-founder of the online fishing and outdoors magazine BD Outdoors and co-host of the fishing show “Local Knowledge” on Waypoint TV, gives the dish top billing by making ceviche tostadas. A dish that is at once festive, fun and filling.
Now you can make ceviche with an array of firm or semi-firm lean saltwater white meat fish such as snapper, grouper or halibut. For this recipe, Hussainy is using wahoo. Wahoo, a member of the mackerel family, is found in tropical and subtropical waters across the globe. A chef favorite, wahoo is highly regarded for its sweet, mild flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 pound of wahoo (or another firm white meat fish)
- 3/4 - 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 4 - 5 limes
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 3/4 - 1 cup white onion
- 1 1/2 - 2 jalapenos
- 3 - 4 ounces pineapple Juice
- 1 package of tostada shells
- Guacamole (homemade or store-bought)
- Hot sauce
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Garlic salt (or powder), to taste
Preparation
To make it easier to slice the fish, Hussainy recommends putting it into the freezer for approximately 30 minutes. And while your fish is setting up in the freezer, you can use the time to chop your tomatoes, onions, jalapenos and cilantro, setting each aside in their own individual bowls. You can also halve your limes so they will be ready to juice.
By the time you get all the veggies, limes and cilantro prepared, your fish is likely ready to be removed from the freezer. On a clean cutting board, begin preparing the fish by slicing it into thin strips. Then, cut the strips into small 1/2-inch cubes.
Next, transfer your fish into a mixing bowl, and using a hand-held juicer, squeeze the juice of three to four limes into the bowl. With your lime juice added, mix it together with the fish using a spoon, stirring thoroughly so that the citric acid of the lime juice cooks the fish. As you work the lime juice all over the fish, you’ll be able to see it turning an opaque, white color. That’s your fish cooking right before your eyes. With your fish cooking nicely in the lime juice, add a little salt, pepper, and garlic salt or powder to the bowl, adjusting to taste.
After you’ve stirred in the seasonings, add the onions, tomatoes, jalapenos and cilantro, adjusting as you see fit. In other words, if you want to see more red in your bowl, add a little more tomato. If you like things onion- or cilantro-forward, then don’t be shy about getting generous with these ingredients. As Hussainy suggests in the video, trust your gut. And now that you have all your ingredients in the bowl, give everything a good stir.
Next, add Capt. Ali’s somewhat secret ceviche ingredient to the bowl – pineapple juice. Stir that in nicely and give things a taste. If you want your ceviche to be a little sweeter, go ahead and add a bit more pineapple juice. This is also a good time to adjust your other ingredients as well as your seasonings. The amounts listed in the ingredients section can be followed as strictly or as loosely as you like.
Once you get the flavor just right, you can put the ceviche into a serving bowl with some tortilla chips on the side, and let your guests have at it. Or you can take things a step further and make ceviche tostadas like Hussainy demonstrates in the video.
To do this, simply grab a tostada shell, spread a layer of guacamole on top, add a couple spoonfuls of ceviche, and finish with a splash or more of your favorite hot sauce. If you like, you can also heat up your tostada shells in the oven for a few minutes before you add all the toppings.
And there you have it. Baja ceviche tostadas. You can serve this dish alongside some fresh corn on the cob if you like or all on its own. It’s just that good. Enjoy!
For more great recipes by some of the world’s foremost anglers and outdoor enthusiasts, search “Cook Your Catch” in the Mercury Dockline Blog. You can follow Capt. Ali Hussainy on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.