25 ceviches and fish carpaccios to withstand the heatwave

What variety of fish to choose for raw recipes?

Freshness: this is the key word that must be kept in mind when preparing each of these two recipes. It is, in fact, imperative that the food is as fresh as possible for a result worthy of the name. You can opt for a fish carpaccio, a seafood ceviche, or even treat yourself to a mixture of the two. Each time, it is preferable to use fish with firm flesh, with a delicate flavor such as cod, monkfish, sea bream, or even semi-firm flesh such as salmon or tuna. When it comes to shellfish and seafood, we love ceviches and scallop carpaccios, which are increasingly common on chefs’ menus.

Once you have chosen your favorite fish, simply cut it into small cubes of about 2 cm on each side for a ceviche, or slice it into thin slices for a carpaccio.

What is ceviche?

Ceviche is an emblematic dish of Peruvian cuisine, made from raw fish or seafood, which is “cooked” in an acidic marinade, most often with lime juice, garnished with chili peppers, red onions and coriander. In fact, the acidity of citrus fruits like lemon modifies the structure of the proteins contained in fish. Thus, the latter is physically cooked (or semi-cooked), without having used heat.

At the beginning of the 20th century in Latin America, fish was generally eaten very cooked. Therefore, when making ceviche, the Peruvians “cooked” the fish in the marinade, several hours before meal time. Conversely, today, a good ceviche is prepared in just a few minutes.

In Peru, the dish is so popular that since 2008, ceviche has had its own national day, celebrated every June 28. During the festivities, the country’s cooks bathe all kinds of raw ingredients in marinade: fish, seafood, but also vegetables or meat.

Ceviche represents the perfect combination of freshness and acidity. To date, there are a thousand and one possible combinations of fish and marinades, and each Peruvian family has its own recipe. Thanks to our tips and tricks, nothing will stop you from perfecting yours. Let’s go !

How to make homemade ceviche?

The marinade

In a bowl containing the fish cut into cubes, add a little salt, then the marinade ingredients one by one. For a classic ceviche, take the juice of several limes, add a finely chopped red onion, chopped fresh coriander and chili peppers cut into small pieces. For a successful ceviche, it is necessary to be generous with the lime: count around 10 fruits for 1kg of fish, or 15cl of juice for 500g.

For the rest of the foods, it’s up to everyone’s taste and you just have to give free rein to your imagination for a unique recipe. You can, for example, add a few wedges of citrus fruit for a fruity ceviche, olive oil, celery, pieces of apple, diced cucumber or even jalapeños for a trip to the other side of the world. The Atlantic Ocean. If anything goes, you have to stay fresh, but also respect the seasonality of food.

“Cooking” time

Today, it’s minute ceviche that’s in vogue. In restaurant kitchens, the fish is sprinkled with marinade, and presto, the dish is ready to eat. Depending on the fish, some take a little longer to marinate. In fact, the firmer the flesh of the latter, the longer the “cooking” time will be. For example, salmon or tuna, both with medium-firm flesh, must marinate for half as long as monkfish or hake, which have firm flesh. In total, don’t allow more than 10 to 15 minutes.

What to serve with my homemade ceviche?

We set up a pretty table to accommodate your fresh ceviche, as a starter or main course, accompanied for example by pieces of avocado, mango, a small potato salad, or even homemade tabbouleh.

What is carpaccio?

Carpaccio is an Italian preparation, traditionally made from raw beef cut into very thin slices, seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Currently, raw fish carpaccios are increasingly popular, particularly with the emergence of meat-free diets, which have become more and more common in Europe in recent years. To do this, once the fish is ready, simply distribute the slices on a plate, before seasoning everything with ingredients of your choice such as olive oil, lime juice, spices, and fresh herbs.