Traditional Ceviche from Peru

Summer is here, and it’s a perfect time for a refreshing treat from the magical land of Peru. The national dish of this South American country is ceviche in part because of the amazing array of fresh seafood that Peru offers. While guests can learn all about the wonders of ceviche from award-winning chef Cucho La Rosa during our Peruvian culinary vacation, in the meantime, here’s a very traditional ceviche that contains all the most important ingredients, including seafood, lime, and salt. Enjoy!

Please contact us for details on this or any of our cooking vacations in Peru!

Traditional Ceviche

Serves 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Cook method: Acid

Ingredients

• 2.2 lb Sea Bass
• 7 oz red onions
• 1 red “aji limo”
• 1 yellow “aji limo”
• 20 Peruvian key limes
• Salt
• 6 ice cubes
• 2 yellow sweet potatoes
• 2 purple sweet potatoes
• 2 pieces of sweet corn cut into pieces
• 0.2 oz anis
• 0.7 oz sugar

Visit Lima and Cusco on our cooking vacation in Peru and Bolivia.

Instructions

1. Cut the fish in cubic pieces of 1 inch and place them in a glass bowl (never use a plastic or aluminum bowl).

2. Cut the onions in thin long slices and rinse it along with the fish at least twice.

3. Boil the corn in water with anis, sugar and salt for 15 minutes. Allow it too cool in the same water it was boiled.

4. To prepare the aji limo, carve out the inside of the aji limo, making sure to take out every seed. Then add the yellow and red aji limo as much as needed. (Latin grocery stores often sell this in cans preserved in water). To get the best color, smell and taste as you add the aji limo.

5. Add the salt and mix.

6. Add the ice cubes and immediately squeeze the key limes over the mixture (never used previously squeezed juice). Take out the ice cubes.

7. Serve in a rim soup bowl with a spoon, which will allow you to taste all the flavors.

8. Add lettuce, a slice of yellow and purple sweet potato, and the sweet corn. Enjoy immediately!

Try this tasty seafood salad with Vietnamese herbs.

Check out two recipes for Mexican ceviche:
Chef Ale’s ceviche from the Riviera Maya
Chef Ana’s ceviche from Morelos

By Peg Kern

Try a recipe for home-cured gravlax.

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