Photo by Teddy Fitzhugh
This is that ceviche with flava. The recipe is inspired by my Grandmother’s Shrimp and Crab Boil, and her famous Croux Shrimp salad. It also draws on my deep love for Peruvian ceviche. We served it on sesame crackers and rocket leaf, topped with avocado and a dash of Siracha at the Converse Santa Monica store opening. Alls I can say is… it KILLED. Everybody was flipping out. This was actually the first time I’d served these at a public event and I was surprised because fish can be tricky for a lot of people. I was even able to put the fear of my Grandma’s cooking into one of the production workers after he declined my first offer to taste it…
“I’m Mexican, and I know my ceviche and I’m really picky.”
“All good,” I said. “I understand.”
So then he’s probably thinking, “My boss is freaking out over this dish, let me see what it’s all about.” After like seven ceviche crackers, he said hands down that it was one of the most delicious and uniquely spiced ceviches he had ever tasted. – DFC
YO…VIVA CREOLE JARDIN TRASERO
SERVES 4-6
PREP AND COOKING TIME 1 ½ hours
STEP ONE: SHRIMP & CRAB BOIL
INGREDIENTS:
4 quarts water
1 large beer
½ lb. medium-small shrimp, peeled and de-veined
6 ounces white lump crab meat
½ of one red onion
1 lemon
5 garlic cloves, smashed
1 teaspoon salt
¾ -1 cup Old Bay (or DFC Quick Boil Blend*)
1 slice of bacon (optional)
1. Fill a large pot with water and beer. Add lemon and the juice, Old Bay or DFC blend, garlic and onion, bacon (if using) and bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook about 5-7 minutes.
2. Fill large glass or non-reactive bowl (enough to fit all ingredients) with ice and water.
3. Add shrimp and crab to the pot, cover and cook until the shrimp curl and turn light pink, about 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Place colander over sink, drain ingredients quickly, discard bacon, half onion and smashed garlic cloves then transfer to ice water, cool completely and drain. Cut each piece of shrimp in half, or into inch-long pieces. Place shrimp and crab in a glass or non-reactive bowl and set aside.
STEP TWO: CEVICHE
NOTE: Always use the freshest fish available and prepare same day. Please don’t be cheap or cut corners with this dish.
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. (if omitting shellfish use 2-3 lbs.) of bass, red snapper, or other firm fleshy fish cut into small cubes
20 small limes, juiced
7 lemons, juiced
½ of one red onion, diced or slivered
½ of one large red pepper, minced
8 water chestnuts, slivered
2 teaspoons ginger, diced or grated
1 small jalapeno (or hot pepper of your choice), seeded and cut in half
1 clove garlic
1 Anaheim green chile
1 small heirloom tomato sliced in half
1 shallot sliced in half
1-2 tablespoons amino acids or light soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)
1 avocado, (sliced)
1. Add diced fish to a non-reactive casserole dish or bowl, pour fresh lime/lemon juice over fish and rest until the fish starts to turn white, about ten to twenty minutes. Stir occasionally.
2. Arrange jalapeños, green chiles, shallots, garlic and tomatoes on a cookie sheet and place in broiler for 3 minutes until blackened on one side. Remove and set aside.
3. Drain liquid from fish and mix with ginger, pour into a blender and add broiled garlic, pepper, tomato, shallot, chile and amino acid. Puree and add back to fish.
4. Add diced onion, pepper, chestnuts, crab, shrimp and let rest for 5 minutes. Best served immediately, but can be refrigerated for a couple hours if needed.
5. Garnish with sliced avocado and toasted sesame seeds right before serving time. Serve with boiled or fried yam/yucca, lettuce cups, tostadas, crackers or French bread.
*DFC QUICK BOIL BLEND
3 bay leaves or 1 tbsp. ground bay leaf
2 tbsp. celery seed or flax (crushed with your fingers)
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp. fresh ground green pepper
1 1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground allspice
3 tbsp. dried chives or shallots
1 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
3 saffron strands (optional)
Method:
Add all ingredients to the pot of water and beer and follow instruction above.
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RIDE OR FRY
by Dante Fried Chicken
