By Alethea Mauro

Being part of a South American family, traditional food is of course a central part of our get togethers.  As we come into the warmer months we are often enjoying summer bbq’s with latin music in the background, wine in hand devouring a big bowl of ceviche with crusty white bread as we await the rest of the feast!

Ceviche is such a beautiful fresh and fragrant dish that its hard to stop eating it.  This recipe is how my family prepares it, it is  simple in its ingredients but full of flavour.

*What is Ceviche?  Ceviche is raw fish marinaded and ‘cooked’ in the citric acid of the lemons or limes.  Commonly eaten in the Americas.

Ingredients:

1 kg skinless white fish fillets e.g. Ling or hoki

1 large clove garlic, diced finely (you can add more if you are a real garlic lover like me)

1 bunch of fresh coriander, chopped (no stems)

1 long red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

5 lemons or limes

salt

Method:

Flake the fish, using a fork,  into a large glass/stainless steel bowl.  Add garlic, cumin, chilli and stir to combine.  Juice 2 lemons and add into fish mixture and stir it through. Juice the remaining 3 lemons and pour over the top of mixture – do not combine.  Cover the bowl with cling wrap and place the bowl in the fridge for 1 hour minimum – the longer you leave it in the fridge the better to ensure it is cooked thoroughly by the lemon; it can be prepared the night before. Prior to serving stir the mixture, add in the fresh coriander (it is best to add this prior to serving so it doesn’t wilt) and season with salt to taste.

You can adjust the quantities of cumin, chilli and coriander to suit your tastes.

Our favourite way to eat it is with crusty french bread sticks.