1 pound fresh wild-caught white fish
8 lemons, halved
5 limes, halved
1 cup minced red onions
½ cup minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon fine Himalayan salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ medium Hass avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
Fishing off of the Florida Keys and making ceviche with your fresh catch right on the boat was a rite of passage when I was growing up in South Florida. The key to a great ceviche is fresh fish! Firm white saltwater fish are ideal. Since I live in Hawaii, I like blue marlin (kajiki here), but you can use sea bass, grouper, or flounder, too. Ask your fishmonger for the freshest catch and make the ceviche that same day or the next. If you’re feeding a crowd, this works really well served in lettuce cups or shot glasses.
Cut the fish into ½-inch cubes and place in a large glass or ceramic mixing bowl. Put a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl and squeeze all of the lemons and limes over the fish, using the sieve to catch the seeds.
Flatten the fish so it is submerged in the citrus juice. Place the squeezed lemon and lime halves cut side down on top of the fish. Cover and set in the fridge for 40 minutes.
While the fish marinates, in a small bowl, mix the onions, cilantro, salt, pepper, ginger, and garlic.
Remove the fish from the fridge and add the onion mix to the bowl. Use a wooden spoon to combine.
Just before serving, add the diced avocado. Enjoy right away or store in a covered glass container in the fridge until the following day.
CHEF’S NOTE: The citrus juice with all the onions and herbs that’s left behind is called leche de tigre and is rumored to improve vitality. It’s also delicious!
VARIATIONS: If you want to add more fat to this snack, add a glug of avocado oil.
SUBSTITUTION: To make this AIP-compliant, omit the black pepper and double the fresh ginger.