Monday, March 01, 2010

Halibut and Kumquat Ceviche Recipe

So I had a bunch of fresh kumquats in the frig, and while I could have just eaten it for a burst of citrus in the night, I decided to use it in a dish.

When I cut into the tiny footballs, they reminded me of sliced jalepenos, which then reminded me of a raw fish dish I had a Nobu in Honolulu. That signature dish of Nobu Matsuhisa is a spicy ceviche dish.
This recipe isn’t spicy like that dish, but substitutes the jalapeno with the kumquats and uses a Chinese warm soy-oil dressing to slightly warm the fish so it’s not totally cold.

Raw fish is always a super easy dish to make because there’s very little cooking. The key is to get really fresh fish, so you just have to go to a fishmonger you trust and ask for what’s fresh for the day. In my case, it was this meaty halibut that was beautifully translucent white with touches of pink. And then I topped it off with the kumquat slices. Enjoy!

Ingredients
6 oz. sushi-grade fresh fish such as halibut
2 T soy sauce
2 T sesame oil
juice from one lime
1 T finely chopped green onion
thinly sliced kumquats (about 2 or 3 kumquats)


Thinly slice your fish filet into pieces and lay them on an oven-safe plate.

In a small saucepan, heat the soy sauce and sesame oil, throwing in the green onion and lime juice near the end. Then drizzle the sauce over the fish slices. Garnish with the thinly sliced pieces of kumquat.

Makes two servings.

Pair with a glass of sake.

TIP: I like using halibut for these types of raw fish dishes because, like tuna and salmon, halibut is pretty high in fat, making it moist and rich when eating raw. When shopping for fresh fish, smell it to make sure it doesn’t have a spoiled fish smell. It should either smell like nothing or like the ocean. It also should have a nice sheen or shine, which means it’s not drying out.

12 comments:

Hungry Dog said...

Wow, this is stunning. Seriously, these are some of the best pictures you have ever posted! And the ceviche looks incredibly delicious.

JulieK said...

I do not eat sashimi, but this picture is gorgeous. I love the way you used the kumquat!

davidsl said...

what a great twist on ceviche! must find kumquats.

agent713 said...

Beautiful plating! Now I'm craving kumquats..

gluten free pammy said...

yummo!! looks good, come by my blog and get in on the giveaway, and check out my new book ,pam

foodhoe said...

Aha! That's a lovely use of the kumquat and interesting play on Nobu's concept. It's not even 8 am and I'm thinking about sashimi...

Carolyn Jung said...

This is awesome looking! A gorgeous use of all those kumquats you picked up. If you hear a knock at your door tonight, it's me, begging for some of this dish. ;)

Anonymous said...

I just stumbled upon your blog and it's great. I'm another Berkeley resident, so I love seeing what other locals are eating and cooking.

This dish looks really good. I adore kumquats, so I'd really love to try this.

Nate @ House of Annie said...

did you buy the kumquats or pick them yourself?

Single Guy Ben said...

Nate/Annie, I got the kumquats at the farmers market and it was already picked. I bet it must be a lot of work picking them since they're so small and probably so plentiful on a tree. Unless it's like almonds and they just shake it off.

mensajes claro said...

Ceviche is one of the most favorite cook eaten by mexicans and peruviand , its so delicious.

Cerrajeros Madrid said...

I agree with all comments ceviche is a rich dish, the flavor is the flavor and spice that has the fish