Branzino, Scallop, & Grapefruit Ceviche
Ceviche is definitely one of my favorite summer treats. If you're not familiar, it is basically raw fish that is cured, or "cooked", in citrus juice. It's light, bright, and high in protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants! Instead of serving with deep-fried corn tortilla chips, consider serving with vegetable chips or lettuce leaves as a substitute...that makes it low in sugar and carbohydrates as well!
If there is a time to buy super fresh fish, it's when you make ceviche. I normally go to the fish market to see what looks best and go from there. I typically mix firm, wild-caught white fish like bass, halibut, mahi-mahi, redfish, or black cod with shellfish like scallops, shrimp, lobster, clams, or mussels. Ask your fishmonger to remove the skin, bones, and bloodline from the fish or make sure you do this when you get home.
When choosing citrus, lime is the most traditional and I will always use lime juice, but I like using grapefruit as well because I always have them around and I just love how they balance and mellow the overall flavor of the dish.
Serves 4 as an appetizer or 2 as a meal
Ingredients
1/2 lb fresh white fish, cut into half-inch cubes
1/2 lb fresh scallops, cut into half-inch cubes
1/2 cup freshly-squeezed lime juice + 1/2 tsp. lime zest
1/2 cup freshly-squeezed grapefruit juice + 1/2 tsp. grapefruit zest
1 avocado, cut into half-inch pieces
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 fresno chile, seeded and finely chopped
1 serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp sea salt
2 radishes, sliced into thin sticks
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, roughly chopped + whole leaves for garnish
Method
In a large glass, ceramic, or stainless steel bowl combine the lime juice, lime zest, grapefruit juice, grapefruit zest, white fish, scallops, onion, chile peppers, salt, and chopped cilantro. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for about an hour. The fish is done when it appears opaque, not raw. Cut into one piece to see if it has cooked on the inside. The very center can be a bit raw, but it should appear mostly cooked everywhere else. If the fish isn't done, allow it to sit longer and check it every 10 minutes or so until it reaches your desired doneness.
To serve, garnish with radish slices and a few whole cilantro leaves. Serve with homemade tortilla (or your favorite) chips on the side. I like to serve ceviche in one bowl and in its own juices. Some people prefer to serve it individually or to strain the juice off before serving - it's all personal preference.
