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Cook the Book: Seafood Seviche with Citrus

Posted by Adam Kuban, June 19, 2007 at 3:15 PM

Seviche, as an item to prepare on my own, has always scared me off. (Eating it is no problem, though.) But given that it's just some raw fish "cured" with citrus juice plus a handful of simple ingredients, I don't know what's stopped me.

Here, in our second recipe from Jasper White's Summer Shack Cookbook, a recipe for the popular Latin American appetizer. Though it's typically made with lime juice, White puts a spin on it with other citrus flavors.

Seafood Seviche with Citrus
- serves 4 as an appetizer -

White says, "Oranges and grapefruit give this seviche a familiar yet exotic flavor. Because the milder citrus juices are not as powerful as pure lime or lemon juice, this seviche takes a little longer to 'cure' than the traditional seviche in the preceding recipe.

He also recommends the following fish for this seviche

• East Coast: striped bass, black sea bass
• South: snapper, yellowtail, Spanish mackerel, grouper
• Anywhere: Tuna and salmon
• Avoid: any ground fish such as cod or flounder (may contain parasites)
• You may also use: sliced scallops, half scallops, half fish

Ingredients
12 ounces skinless fish fillets, blood line trimmed, or 12 ounces medium (20 to 30 per pound) dry sea scallops, sliced 1/3 inch thick

2 medium navel oranges

1 medium grapefruit

Juice of 2 limes

1 small red onion (4 ounces), halved lengthwise and very thinly sliced

1/2 habanero chile, seeded and minced (1/2 teaspoon)

8 to 10 sprigs fresh cilantro, leaves removed and coarsely chopped (1/4 cup), plus 4 big sprigs for garnish

1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 Boston lettuce leaves

4 lime wedges

Procedure
1. If using fish, slice the fillets crosswise into rectangles 1 inch wide and 1/3 inch thick; place in a large glass bowl. (Or place the sliced scallops in the bowl.)

2. Slice 1/2 inch from the top and bottom of each orange. One at a time, stand each orange on a cutting board, slice the skin and white pith from the orange; discard. Use a sharp thin knife to release the segments from the membranes of the fruit; toss segments into bowl with fish. Squeeze juice from membranes into bowl; discard membranes. Slice off top and bottom of the grapefruit; remove segments in the same way, adding to bowl with fish. Squeeze juice from membranes into bowl; discard membranes.

3. Add the lime juice, onion, chile, and chopped cilantro; toss gently to combine. Season with the salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap placed flush against the surface, making sure fish is submerged in citrus juice. Refrigerate for 3 hours, tossing fish three times.

4. Line four small glass bowls or plates with the lettuce leaves; spoon in the seviche with the juices. Garnish with the lime wedges and cilantro sprigs.

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