I cannot think of a single person I know who does not like ceviche.  Even fish-haters enjoy it because the citrus juices “cook” the fish in a way that negates its slippery texture, one of the major complaints of seafood-gaggers the world over.

Ceviche is incredibly simple: Fish, shrimp, or scallops are tossed with finely chopped crunchy vegetables, fresh tomato, and herbs, and bathed in the fresh juice of lemons, limes, and/or oranges. The mixture then sits in the refrigerator for a few hours and voilà.

You can enjoy the ceviche as an appetizer with chips or on tostadas, as is done in many restaurants. You can also enjoy it as you would a shrimp cocktail, scooping it into a martini glass and adding hot sauce to your liking.  Ceviche can also provide a full meal, as it will in my kitchen tonight, stuffed into lettuce leaves and topped with avocado chunks, crumbled cotija cheese, thinly sliced radish, and sprigs of extra cilantro.

Halibut Ceviche:
*makes 6 servings as an appetizer or 3 as an entree*

12 oz. halibut, cut into 1/2” chunks (substitute any fresh fish, shrimp, or scallops)
3 knob onions, small dice (or 1/2 a medium white onion)
1 small bell pepper in your favorite color, small dice
1 small jalapeño, finely minced (flesh only, no seeds or pith)
1 lovely tomato, medium dice
a large handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
6 limes (juice only)
a few shakes of your favorite hot sauce
a few good pinches of sea salt

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for one of the limes. Toss together thoroughly and transfer to a glass jar (a quart-sized canning jar is perfect).  Squeeze the last lime over the top to be sure the fish is fully submerged, cover, and place into the fridge for at least one hour or up to 24 hours. Serve as you like.

*Note:  Always use the freshest fish you can get your hands on for ceviche and always be sure it is fully submerged in the citrus juices as it “cooks”. To be honest, I prefer just a few hours of marinating time, but I also love the texture of fish. The longer you marinate, the more firm and unfish-like the fish will become.