Ceviche Pez Espada Recipe

Fresh and light for a summer night on the patio.

Ceviche is a staple on the menu at Frida - a great dish to share as an appetizer with friends or as a light dinner for one.  We change the preparation seasonally and this summer we created a winner with our Ceviche Pez Espada (literal translation: Swordfish Ceviche).  The fun thing about ceviche is that there are endless variations - all you need is some imagination!

Simply put, ceviche is fresh, raw fish marinated in citrus juice.  While the fish in ceviche is not cooked using heat, the acids from the citrus do "cook" the meat to a degree (the longer you let it marinate, the more it will cook).  However, the citrus juice will not kill the bacteria the same way heat will, so it's important to use fresh, parasite-free, and disease-free fish!  Check out this great article for tips on ensuring your fish is safe to eat.  Since it's nearly impossible to get fresh fish in landlocked Utah, we use the deep freeze method to kill any bacteria.

Ceviche is simple and delicious, and takes very little time to prepare.  As long as you have fresh fish, citrus juice, and a mixing bowl you can make a fantastic ceviche that will impress all your friends.

Steve preparing the dish with a simple mold.  Remember, presentation is almost as important as taste!

This recipe is for one serving of ceviche (which can be shared between 2-3 people as an appetizer).  We "eye" most of the ingredients, so it was hard to get the chefs to give me an exact measure!

Mix following ingredients in a bowl:

1. Handful of cubed, raw swordfish 
2. Chopped mango 
3. Diced red and green peppers, radish, and cucumber
4. 2-Tbsp freshly-squeezed orange juice
5. Juice from 2 lime wedges
6. Pinch salt
7. Pinch cilantro

Dig in!

Mix with your hand for approximately 20 seconds which will allow the fish to begin cooking.  At Frida we like to top our ceviche with microgreens and serve with blue corn tortilla chips, which add a great texture to the dish.  Take this ceviche out on your patio, imagine you're at the beach, and enjoy with friends or loved ones as the sun sets!