Orange & Lime Ceviche

One of the saddest parts about January, besides having to take down all of the fun Christmas decorations, is that we're only halfway though winter and we've still got a solid two months until we're out of the woods. On the plus side, the winter solstice was back in December which means that (ever so) slowly, the days are getting longer. It still sucks though. It's freezing cold, sunshine is a rarity, and my car is always coated in salt stains.

To eradicate the foul mood that winter depression can cause, I like to make summery dishes. Food is my favorite form of therapy. One of my favorite summery dishes is ceviche. It's light, it's bright, and it's got a tropical vibe. I like my ceviche to be just lightly acidic and lightly sweet. I'm not a fan of overly sour ceviches. I think when there's too much acid, it overpowers the ceviche and often times, it "overcooks" the fish. If you are on the same page, I hope you'll try my ceviche recipe because I think it's pretty friggin' awesome.

Ingredients [for 4 to 6]:
½ lb. chilean sea bass (or any mild white fish)
juice of 1 lime
juice of ½ orange
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ onion, diced
½ bell pepper, diced
1 mini cucumber, diced
1 jalapeno, diced
1 mango, diced
2 scallions, chopped
1 tablespoon minced cilantro
salt to taste
+ chips, crackers, bread for dipping
+ avocado slices

Start by "cooking" the fish. There is no heat source involved when making ceviche. Instead, the fish is marinated in acid which basically cooks it. In a bowl, combine lime juice and orange juice with the minced garlic.

Cut the fish into small pieces. Cut the fish against the grain so that the pieces will be tender.

Chuck the fish into the marinade and stir to combine. Leave to soak for 20 to 30 minutes until the fish is opaque and "cooked."

In a separate bowl, combine all of the diced vegetables and cilantro.

Add the fish to the vegetables and stir to combine.

Sprinkle in a little salt to taste.

Serve the ceviche up with tortilla chips. It's light, it's bright, and it's delicious. I love the crunchy vegetables, the fragrant cilantro, the sweet mangoes, the tender fish, and the bright citrusy dressing. It's seriously summer in a bowl and it will shake you out of this winter funk.

Sliced avocado also makes a lovely garnish.

Here's the recipe page: