Tropical Ceviche

SPRING BREAK 2012

Although it's barely March, here in sunny Sarasota, Florida we're already celebrating the beach and summertime! Hot nights and swim suits can only mean one thing: fresh fish.

Scallop and Grouper Ceviche with Mango
chilled in a Lime-Coconut marinade

That's how I do Spring Break!

Ceviche is a tricky little dish (but NOT hard); it relies completely on acid and timing. Start with the freshest white fish you can find, flavor it with some small chopped veggies and herbs, and let it sit in a nice acidic environment for 10-20 minutes. But no longer! Ceviche must be eaten as soon as it's ready or the fish will continue to cook as it sits in that yummy, yummy juice.

I chose a citrus blend of lime juice and orange juice mixed with some coconut milk for my tropical acidity. Some chopped mango, red onion, red bell pepper, a seeded jalapeno, some mint leaves, and scallions finished it off with tons of color and flavor! Ceviche allows your creativity to really shine, so play around.

* 1/2 lb baby scallops

* 1/2 lb grouper, cut into small pieces

* 1/2 cup mixture of lime juice, orange juice, and their zest

* 1/4 cup coconut milk

* 1 mango, diced

* 1/2 red onion, finely chopped

* 1/4 small red sweet pepper, finely chopped

* 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

* 1 scallion
* mint leaves, chopped
* salt and pepper

*  xvoo to drizzle (optional)

1. Combine the citrus juice, coconut milk, red onion, red pepper, jalapeno, and s&p in a bowl.

2. Add the fish to the bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 10-20 minutes. Make sure all the fish is submerged in the marinade.
3. While it's chilling, cut up the mango and scallion.
4. Spoon the cevich into serving cups, top with mango, scallion, and mint leaves, and drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil over top. Serve with plantain chips and a tiny fork! Smile. You're on vacation.