Kampachi Ceviche en Crema

Copyright 2008 by Cooking With The Single Guy

Ingredients:
6 oz. Kona Kampachi, sliced into bite-sized pieces or tiny chunks
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
1 habanero chili, seeded and minced
juice from three limes
1 t sea salt
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped

Cut the Kampachi into slices or chunks, depending on your preference. Rinse lightly in a bowl filled with chilled water. Drain in colander and let air dry.

Slice onions thinly and place in bowl of chilled water for a few minutes. In a non-reactive bowl, mix kampachi pieces with salt, chili and onion. Then add lime juice and let sit for 10 minutes to let the fish get a bit opaque in color around the edges. Add cilantro and cream and toss. Serve immediately with roasted or grilled corn. (To make it more Peruvian, you can also serve it with yam.)

Makes two servings.

Pair with a glass of crisp Chenin Blanc or something bubbly like Cava.

TIP: If you can’t find Kona Kampachi in your local fish market, you can substitute with any other white fish. I see a lot of recipes recommending tilapia, which is easier to find. Just make sure you buy really fresh fish, so shop at a place you trust. Also, try experimenting with other raw seafood, such as making a mix of fish, scallops and shrimp.

PERUVIAN HOT: A more traditional Peruvian ceviche would actually use the rocoto hot pepper. But it’s not easy to find so I use the habanero, which I also like because of the tiny specks of orange in the dish.

TART OR NOT: Sometimes lime can be a bit tart for some people. So if you'd like to soften the sharpness of lime, you can maybe create a combo of two limes and one lemon or a tangerine. Just add your favorite citrus that might lean on the sweet side to counter the tartness of limes.