by Emily Ramsey
I have fallen under the cooking spell. The creation, the inventing—it’s like being a scientist without creating equations or filling beakers. However, it’s the “cooking” aspect, standing in front of the oven, that doesn’t much excite me. If I had my way, I would spend my time cutting and mixing and tweaking my dish, because the less I use heat means the fresher and more natural my ingredients. No simmering temperatures to extract the raw nutrients out of my food.
That’s one reason why I am so in love with this month’s dish, Mock Ceviche (pronounced say-vee-chay). The dish is considered “mock” because real ceviche dishes cook raw fish by marinating it in citric juice—something I plan to try soon—which chemically reacts with the fish protein. For this recipe, however, we’ll be boiling the fish, but using all other ingredients uncooked.
This dish is not only healthy but also very shoestring. The most costly ingredient is the tilapia, but if you can find salmon for cheaper, you can use it. It will taste great with either.
Mock Ceviche
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. tilapia fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1-2 jalapeño peppers (depending on your spice level), cut thinly
- ½ c. lime juice
- ½-1 c. chopped fresh cilantro, cut thinly (I tend to go for a full cup but if cilantro’s not attractive to your palate, feel free to pull it back)
- 1 ½ tsp. oregano, fresh from the plant or from a jar (I really appreciate Whole Foods’ loose spice aisle; you can just spoon as much as you need into a bag with no waste!)
- 1 tsp. cumin/coriander/cayenne—according to desired flavor
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 large tomato (This is not the best time of year for tomatoes, so feel free to substitute with a plump zucchini or squash and red pepper for its vibrant ruby color.)
- ½ c. white or red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ c. green olives, quartered (save time by buying jarred, pre-cut olives which are also pre-pitted, as opposed to whole olives)
- 1 avocado, chopped
- 4-5 corn tortillas
Directions:
- Place tilapia in a skillet, cover with water and bring to boil over high heat. Remove from heat; cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Mix jalapeños, lime juice, 2 T. cilantro, salt and spices in a bowl. Transfer the tilapia to a large dish and pour the lime juice mixture over it. Add bell pepper, tomato, onion and olives; gently mix. The tilapia will be tender so it may break apart. Cover and chill for 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle with avocado and the remaining cilantro before serving. Serve with warm tortillas and a sombrero to complete your Mexican evening.
All you need now is a margarita or a cold one. Enjoy!
