Everyone loves this unique Salt and Pepper Ceviche appetizer recipe.
I brought this to my Gourmet Club’s monthly dinner party with a Yucatan theme, along with the most amazing mango guacamole. This salt and pepper ceviche was amazing too. It was the perfect addition to a party!
I didn’t want to take any chances, so I went all-out and bought a nice, fresh, very expensive piece of halibut from a quality seafood market. You have a few options of fish choices (in the recipe below), so you’re not stuck with halibut if it isn’t your thing (or if it’s too outrageously expensive!!)
Admittedly, I was a little nervous in making this one. I’m not all that big on raw fish, and I had never tried ceviche before. It’s basically a nice, firm fish cut into small chunks that marinates in lime juice. I was reassured by friends that the lime juice actually chemically *cooks* the fish, and therefore it’s not anything like raw.
The friends were right… it’s nothing like eating raw fish. The halibut soaks up the lime juice and rids it of that fishy flavor. The texture becomes that of a cooked piece of fish albeit a little more firm. Add a sprinkle of red onion, chopped avocado, cilantro, salt and pepper, and then eat it up with a fork or tortilla chips for dunking.
This uber-expensive ceviche was a big hit at the dinner party. Everyone gobbled it up and sang its praises. Thankfully, I can definitely say that it was worth the expense to see my friends eating it with pleasure!
Salt and Pepper Ceviche
Ingredients
- 1 pound sashimi quality boneless, skinless halibut (or other large-flake or steak-like, light color fish such as marlin, snapper or albacore tuna)
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 small ripe avocado, pitted, flesh scooped out from the skin and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 to 3 tablespoons (lightly packed) fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Cut the fish into ½-inch pieces or slightly smaller.
- To marinate the fish, place in a glass or plastic bowl and mix in the onion, black pepper and lime juice. Cover and refrigerate, stirring frequently, for 45 minutes.
- When ready to serve, add about a teaspoon of salt to the ceviche and mix well (the saltiness of the juice will dissipate as the fish absorbs the flavors.)
- Scoop the ceviche onto a smallish, deep platter, then dot with avocado and cilantro leaves. Serve as an appetizer to eat with a fork, or use tortilla chips for scooping.
Notes
- Look around for some good quality fish for this recipe. You really need a nice looking piece of firm, white fish that is sashimi-grade quality. Don’t go cheap on ceviche.
- It’s ok to make this a few hours (2 to 3) ahead of serving time, but keep well-chilled.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
