The Freshest Coconut and Lime Ceviche for Easter

 

This Easter, if you like to enjoy Seafood on Good Friday as we do, why not make some   Ceviche for a seafood treat, it's fresh fish with a zing. Ceviche is typically made from very fresh raw fish which is "cooked" or cured in citrus juices such as lime or lemon. With other ingredients added such as fresh herbs and spices, it is a delicious, light and zingy starter for any meal, or can stand alone with a fresh salad as the delicious main meal. We used a very fresh fillet of Kingfish, about 500g, trimmed and cut into 1 cm cubes. The fillet needs to be at least 1 cm thick. However any firm white-fleshed fish could be used. With this recipe, the actual cooking of the fish is the easy part, as the acidulant in the lime juice  “cooks the raw fish.

It is important to save your energy for finding a really good seafood distributor this Easter as the freshness of the fish is paramount to the success of this dish. According to Alasdair Nicolson, the talented Executive Chef at Pinetrees Lodge on Lord Howe Island, the safest way to ensure the freshest fish is to buy a whole fish and fillet it yourself, or go fishing to your favourite spot, as he often likes to do in the pristine waters around stunning Lord Howe Island. Or ask your seafood supplier to fillet the freshest fish available, after you have selected one that you like. Filleting a whole fish at home requires some experience and a very sharp knife. 

Ceviche might sound a bit fancy, but it really is a cinch to make with no real fish cooking involved, and you will be delighted with the result. This is a restaurant worthy dish that you can make in your own home.

Ingredients for  the Dressing for Ceviche crushed in a Mortar and pestle

1/2 bunch of Coriander and roots, washed and finely chopped

1 stalk of lemon grass

1 Clove of garlic

4 Kaffir Lime Leaves, finely chopped

2 chopped chillies, finely chopped ( not the hot variety)

Pound the above ingredients in a Mortar and Pestle or mince finely in a food processor

Cooking marinade

2 tablespoons of Nampla Fish sauce (or any other good brand)

Juice of 2 limes

(Fish Sauce and Lime juice needs to be balanced. i.e. same quantity of each, depending on how juicy the limes are)

Little bit of sugar, according to your taste
Kara brand Coconut Cream

Method:

Mix the Fish Sauce with the Lime juice and add the other finely crushed fresh ingredients to it to make the Sauce which will cook the fish.

Add the Sauce to the raw cubed fish in a bowl just before eating. The fish shouldn't be left to marinate too long in this mixture as it will completely cook the fish which we don't want.

 Then add about 2 tablespoons of Kara Coconut Cream to the fish mixture. This particular brand won’t separate as some Coconut Cream does when mixed with citrus juices and curry pastes. (This brand is also very good when making ice-cream)

Decorate your Ceviche with peanuts and black and white sesame seeds, and garnish to finish with sprigs of fresh mint and coriander.

For the Lord Howe back story and original post for this recipe click on this link.

Happy Easter to you all,

Best wishes

Pauline