Making ceviche seems like an easy recipe, but when working with raw fish, lots of home cooks have doubts about the food safety requirements. Mimi from Chapel Hill, North Carolina wanted to know “How long does is take in order for ceviche to “cook?”
How to “Cook” Ceviche
Ceviche is a cold dish made from raw fish marinated in vinegar or acidic liquid. I love ceviche, and here is a recipe that you may enjoy. A few simple fresh ingredients, and you have an excellent summertime meal! Oh, and here is another recipe!
However, it might be confusing as to how long the fish should marinade before it “cooks.” About 10 minutes is the right amount of time for making ceviche with good texture, but if your fish filet is thicker, thinner or more dense, you may elect to let it marinade for a few minutes longer.
Check the color of your pieces of fish, and once they have turned opaque, they are marinaded well enough to consume. You might try cutting into a piece of the fish to see if the opaqueness continues into the the center of the piece.
Know the Source of your Fish!
Anytime you are working with raw fish, it is important to know the source of your fish. When was it harvested, and how was it transported to your market? If a fish has been in the refergerated case too long, or was frozen, thawed and refrozen, these details are important when making ceviche. Ask questions before you buy
Another important question is what type of fish is it? Like swordfish, some fish are simply not appropriate for making ceviche. Ask your fish purveyor what they would recommend.
If you have doubts about the quality of your fresh fish, you can always freeze it to make sure there are no parasites or live bacteria. However, freezing will destroy the nice, plump texture of the fish once the ceviche is made. Although you need to ask a few questions about the quality of the fish you are using for your ceviche, the technique for making this delicious salad is easy enough for even novice chefs.
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