Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Fish & Marinade
- 500 g white fish fillets (snapper, halibut, or sea bass), skinless, pin-boned, diced 1cm
- 250 ml fresh lime juice
- 10 g salt
Tostada Shells
- 8 corn tortillas
- 500 ml vegetable oil
- fine salt
Vegetables & Finish
- 100 g red onion, finely diced
- 200 g roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 15 g fresh cilantro, chopped
- 20 g serrano or jalapeño pepper, minced, seeds removed for less heat
- 2 avocado, sliced or cubed
- 2 g dried oregano
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Place the diced fish in a glass or ceramic bowl. Pour the lime juice over the fish, ensuring it is completely submerged. Stir in 10g of salt.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate to cure. Allow the acid to denature the proteins until the fish turns opaque and firm, about 30 to 45 minutes.
While the fish cures, heat vegetable oil in a heavy pot to 180°C/350°F. Fry the corn tortillas one by one until golden and rigid, about 1-2 minutes per side.
Remove tortillas from the oil and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Season immediately with fine salt while the oil is still glistening.
Once the fish is cured, drain off about half of the lime juice (or more, depending on desired wetness). Add the diced red onion, tomatoes, minced chili, chopped cilantro, and oregano. Mix gently to combine.
Taste the mixture and adjust salt if necessary. To serve, mound the ceviche onto the crispy tostada shells and top with avocado slices.
Chef's Notes
- The quality of ceviche depends entirely on the freshness of the fish. Use semi-firm white fish like snapper or halibut; avoid oily fish like mackerel.
- For food safety, freezing the fish at -20°C for 7 days prior to use is recommended to kill any potential parasites, even for 'fresh' preparations.
- If the red onion flavor is too harsh, you can rinse the diced onion in cold water or soak it in the lime juice alongside the fish to mellow it out.
- Don't throw away the leftover marinade (Leche de Tigre)! It is delicious mixed with a little clam juice or beer as a shooter.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Store ceviche and shells separately. Texture of fish degrades after 24 hours.
