Ceviche with Locally Caught Sea Bass and Oregon Pink Shrimp
With the Autumn Equinox arriving next week, I’d like to send off the Summer months with one of my favorite Summer snacks, Ceviche. There are few things I enjoy more than whipping up a tangy, spicy ceviche and sharing it with friends on my patio in the sunshine, a glass of zippy white wine in hand.
In August, I went bottom fishing outside of Newport and we brought home our limit in Sea Bass, plus one Rockfish. It was one of the most fun fishing trips I’ve been on. For this recipe, I used bass from that trip, but you can substitute any white-flesh ocean fish of your choice. Halibut is another favorite of mine for ceviche. Just be sure that any fresh fish you catch is frozen for about a week before you consume it raw. Not a fan of raw fish? Use Oregon Pink Shrimp for the entire meat portion.
The amount of fresh peppers you add can be adjusted to your preferences as well. Jalapeno is traditionally used, but I love to swap that out for habanero because the orange color pops really well and it adds a unique spice profile.
If you’re in Darling & Darling Wine Club, this pairs excellently with this month’s Cala Civetta Trebbiano di Toscana.
1/2 lb Oregon Sea Bass
1/2 lb Oregon Pink Shrimp
1 1/2 Cups Lime Juice, divided
2 Roma Tomatoes, seeds scooped out and diced
1/2 Red Onion, finely chopped
1/4 - 1/2 Cup Cilantro, finely chopped
1 Fresh Jalapeno or Habanero, finely chopped
1 tsp Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper to taste
Tortilla Chips for Serving
Cut fish into 1/2 inch cubes or smaller. Place in a glass bowl and pour one cup of lime juice over it. Make sure the fish is mostly submerged. If not, stir occassionaly. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 45-60 minutes.
In a large bowl (this can be done in the bowl you want to serve in), combine tomatoes. red onion, cilantro, salt and pepper. Toss with about 1 TBSP of reserved lime juice. Add jalapeno or habanero in small amounts until you’ve reached your desired spice level.
Remove fish from the fridge and drain lime juice. Add fish to vegetable mixture and gently combine. Add in the remaining lime juice, mixing one last time. And serve!