National Ceviche Day & Ceviche Recipes

FOOD HOLIDAY: National Ceviche Day & Ceviche Recipes

June 27, 2012 at 8:10 am · Filed under Fish-Seafood-Caviar, Food Facts - Food History, Food Holidays, Recipes

June 28th is National Ceviche Day in Peru, where it’s one of the national dishes. The holiday has arrived in the U.S.—a healthy celebration for trying new ceviche recipes.

Ceviche—shellfish cured by citrus juice acid—has been popular in Latin America for many centuries. It dates some 2,000 years to an Inca dish of raw marinated fish.

The dish was discovered by Spanish conquistadors in the 1500s; they added the lime juice and onion that are integral to modern ceviche. The name “ceviche,” pronounced say-VEE-chay, is thought to come from the Spanish “escabeche,” meaning marinade.

Today, ceviche—spelled seviche or sebiche in some countries—is so popular that there are cevicherias, restaurants that specialize in ceviche.

There’s a whole menu of ceviche, from different types of fish and seafood to country-specific preparations. Each country adds its own spin based on local seafood and preference for ingredients like avocado. Some add a dressing of ketchup or a combination of ketchup and mayonnaise.

Ceviche is delicious “health food.”

Fish and seafood are high in protein.

Citrus juice is high in antioxidants including vitamin C; and is a good source of potassium and folate.

There’s no sugar or added fat.

Ceviche is low in calories. Most fish have 30-40 calories per ounce; shrimp and lobster have 30 calories, bay scallops 25 calories and octopus 35 calories per ounce. Other ingredients such as chile, cucumber, herbs, onion and tomato add negligible calories.

> Try this classic shrimp ceviche recipe.

> More ceviche recipes.

> Create your own recipe, using your favorite seafood, with this guide.

> More on the the history of ceviche.

RECIPE: CEVICHE-STYLE LOBSTER WITH
WATERMELON SALAD

Executive Chef Damian Gilchrist of the Ocean Reef Club in North Key Largo, Florida serves Florida Lobster “Ceviche-Style” with Watermelon Salad. Here’s his recipe, which serves four as a main or eight as a first course.

You can substitute other crustaceans—scallops, shrimp—or fish.

Ingredients

1 quart (32 ounces) lobster meat (barely cooked through)

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon chopped pickled ginger

1 1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño

1 tablespoon chopped mint

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped tomatoes, skinned and
seeded

2 tablespoons chopped Bermuda onions

1 tablespoon sugar (you can leave this out, or use
less)

2 limes, juiced

2 oranges, juiced

Kosher salt to taste

For Serving

Watermelon slices

Mache lettuce (you can substitute mixed baby greens or arugula)

Balsamic syrup

Preparation

1. Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl to thoroughly combine. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

2. Serve atop watermelon planks with mache and drizzled with balsamic syrup. For balsamic syrup, reduce balsamic vinegar or buy a ready-made balsamic glaze.