Ceviche, the perfect summer appetizer

Ceviche is the perfect summer dish! It is light, citrusy and full of healthy, healing vegetables. It pairs well with a light, dry, chilled Rose’ for a delicious aperitif. Fun fact, Ceviche may have originated in Peru around 2000 years ago. It is also the Peruvian national dish and June 28th is national ceviche day. Bon appetit!

Ingredients

1 lb Mahi Mahi or Red Snapper (Talapia, Crab and Shrimp can be used as well)

¾ cup of fresh lime juice, about 9-10 limes

1 cup diced red pepper

1 cup diced red onion

½ diced cucumbers

1 poblano pepper, diced

1 cup chopped cilantro

Salt to taste

Instructions

Begin by removing the skin from the fish or shrimp. Cut the fish into approximately ½ inch pieces. Juice the limes. Place the fish and the lime juice in a large bowl, cover and place in the refrigerator.

Dice the remaining vegetables, all about the same size, and chop they cilantro.

Remove the bowl of fish from the fridge and start to stir in the chopped vegetables and cilantro. Stir well so that the lime juice touches the entire contents of the bowl.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Enjoy with tortilla chips or plantain chips. Ceviche is best when eaten within two hours after preparation. For more information on the risks associated with raw fish see the end of the blog.

Serves 4 – 6 depending on your preferred serving size.

I hope you enjoy this light, healthy dish. I chose the ingredients for their nutritional value and the dish is so colorful, it is delightful to look at. I am sure you have heard the slogan “eat the rainbow” well, we certainly are eating a wonderful variety of color with this dish! The red pepper and cilantro are high in antioxidants. The limes are full of vitamin C. The onion has sulfur compounds that can help reduce inflammation and the Mahi Mahi is a nice source of protein and Omega 3 fatty acids. Find a reputable fish market since having fresh fish is very important because the citrus may not kill all the bacteria if the fish is old or not high quality.

Eating raw or uncooked meat does have some risks, so here is some additional information for you to consider before you prepare and serve this dish:

· The USDA states that eating any raw or undercooked meat may be hazardous. You can get more information from the USDA here: https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/Is-it-dangerous-to-eat-raw-or-undercooked-ground-beef.

· Ceviche may last for up to 2 days if refrigerated properly, but the quality will go down and the risk of bacterial exposure increases so it’s not recommended: https://www.theforkbite.com/how-long-does-ceviche-last/.

· It is not safe to eat any uncooked meat while you are pregnant. Here’s a good article on WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/parenting/safe-to-eat-ceviche-while-pregnant.