Tilapia Ceviche

Ceviche is a bright and delicious dish that has a long history primarily in South America, but can be found in different variations around the world. The process of “cooking” a fish or seafood in an acid or vinegar has been around for thousands of years, originating in Peru. This was a great method of preserving food and using natural ingredients to prepare the fresh fishes that were so readily available.

The dish eventually made its way north through Mexico and is now a very popular dish in the United States. This is an extremely light and flavorful appetizer or meal, and is truly simple to make. The key here is to make sure you have the freshest fish you can get your hands on. While the citric acid will denature the fish and cause it to appear that its cooked, it will not kill parasites or bacteria like heat cooking will, so it is important to ask for the freshest available fish at the market. A good rule of thumb too for fish is that it should smell briny and salty like the ocean, but never overtly fishy, it may not be fresh if it does.

Choosing a light and flaky fish is also a good idea for this dish. Some good options are tilapia, flounder, mahi-mahi, sea bass, or sushi grade tuna. Recipes will vary the cooking time pretty drastically, starting at as little as 15 minutes up to 3 hours. For my recipe, I let the tilapia “cook” for about 1 1/2 hours in the fridge while still ending up with a great texture and flavor. To prepare this dish, I sliced the tilapia into 1/4 inch chunks and put them into a glass bowl. I covered the fish completely with freshly squeezed lime juice. You want to make sure the juice really covers the fish, so depending on the amount of fish you are using, this could be about 8-10 limes. I also added the zest from 1 lime and 3 Tbsp of fresh orange juice. I sliced 1 small shallot and 1 fresno chili and added into the bowl with the fish as well to add additional flavor and spice.

That is basically it! You will then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave in the fridge for about 1 1/2 hours until the fish turns opaque. Once you are satisfied with the cooking time, you can serve the ceviche in a variety of ways - over cilantro rice, with lettuce cups to roll it in, or banana chips. I chose to make toastadas and serve it on top.

For the tostadas all you need to do is lay soft corn tortillas flat on a baking sheet and spray with your preferred cooking spray. You can sprinkle on whatever seasonings you would like; I chose to use Tajín which is a popular chili/lime seasoning that you can find in most stores. Pop the tortillas into a 400 degree oven and bake for about 6 minutes on each side, until you see that they have browned slightly and are turning crunchy.

Spoon the ceviche over top of the tostadas with a fork so that the cooking liquid can drain off a little bit. Be sure to include some of the shallot and chili as well, they will be delicious! You can also add whatever your favorite toppings are! I also added some homemade pico, guacamole and shredded romaine. Other great options would be mango slaw, roasted corn, cucumber or fresh cilantro. This is a great appetizer because you can prepare it in advance and pop into the fridge while you work on other things, no need to keep an eye on the fish while “cooking” like you’d typically need to do!

Comment below what toppings you used on your homemade ceviche!