Pescado Ceviche

Sephardi Kitchen's Note:

Ceviche is a light and refreshing, chilled citrus-marinated seafood salad which originated in Peru. The acidity of the marinade denatures the protein structure of the fish, essentially "cooking" it. The result is a less fishy-tasting dish than other uncooked seafood. Note: Other types of fresh seafood (such as lobster, shrimp, scallops, octopus, etc) may be substituted for the fish, if desired. Always purchase the freshest seafood you can find, preferably sushi-grade.

• Total Time: 4 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 4 hrs 15 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 2

• 1 lb fresh tuna (cod, orange roughy, and red snapper are other good choices. You can also mix-and-match different typ) or 1 lb other firm-fleshed white fish (cod, orange roughy, and red snapper are other good choices. You can also mix-and-match different typ)
• 3 lemons, juice of
• 3 limes, juice of
• 1 garlic clove , minced
• 1 small red onion , minced (about 1 cup)
• 1 jalapeno , chopped fine
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• 2 small firm-fleshed tomatoes , chopped finely
• salt
• 1 avocado , sliced (optional)

Directions:

1. Soak the fish in salted water for 10 minutes, gently pat dry with a paper towel. Cube the fish, and place in a shallow dish.
2. Arrange the onions on top of the fish, and cover with the remaining ingredients. Allow to refrigerate at least 4 hours. Be sure to stir several times. The fish is done once the flesh turns white and opaque, and can be flaked slightly with a fork. This indicates that the acidity of the citrus has denatured the proteins in the fish- the same thing that happens when we "cook" in the traditional sense.
3. Serve chilled, garnished with avocado, if desired.