We’ve long been fans of Mat Trevors’ The Saltwater Journal blog portal for a number of reasons.
He’s an unabashed foodie, accomplished fly fisher, world traveler, astute observer of the salt water environs, lives in a damned nifty place (“...minutes from the Salish Sea in the Cascadian Bioregion…“) and shares a penchant with us for the ‘simplify and downsize’ movement.
Mat is a gifted writer as well and curates one of the more entertaining twitter feeds (@mattrevors) in the fly fishing world; his blog work shines and he’s recently written a pointed, articulate and concise review that could easily become a model for the industry.
Last week Mat penned a killer ceviche recipe (along with some commentary that (a) made us blush and (b) overtly question his sanity). Mat graciously agreed to let us repost the recipe today.
From Mat –
I’m on a locally-sourced, sustainable food kick of late, both seafood and landfood, and one of my “discoveries” has been the awesomeness of BC-caught albacore tuna.
I’ve been gorging myself on this stuff in the past few months. Canned. Raw. It doesn’t matter. It’s the locally-and-sustainably-caught fish of the angels, and probably my second favourite species to eat behind mahimahi (the fish so nice, they named it twice).
It’s made more delightful knowing it’s caught by a local boat, the Comox-based MV Estevan (read more about the Estevan Tuna Co.) and canned on Vancouver Island by St. Jean’s Cannery. I’m able to get the albacore tuna in frozen-at-sea loins or canned, either of which are available at the local farmer’s market.
This recipe was inspired by several sources, including perusing a few traditional ceviche recipes online. A major source of inspiration is last year’s excellent pico de gallo recipe featured in a Friday Feast here on Chi Wulff.
My years as a barman has taught me to pay attention to what flavours compliment each other in cocktails. I’ve carried this over to my cooking as I branch out and expand my range into different dishes. Thus I was confident in substituting cilantro for oregano and orange bell pepper for green pepper (more on green peppers below – way more than you probably want to ever know) in the ceviche recipe.
In my mind this albacore tuna ceviche is a warm weather dish; if you’re in the northern latitudes like I am, get on it, and quick! The prep work takes a little time and basic knife skills are required for dicing and seeding, but the end result is well worth the time and effort.
Albacore Tuna Ceviche
1 pound sustainably-and-locally-caught albacore tuna loin, diced
5 limes
1 lemon
½ – 1 red onion, minced
4-5 fresh tomato, seeded & diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
2 cloves fresh garlic
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded & minced
Fresh cilantro, finely chopped (to taste)
Kosher salt (to taste)
Fresh-ground pepper (to taste)
Few drops of Marie Sharp’s, just ‘cuz (optional, and to taste)
Let the citrus work its magic. Place the diced albacore tuna in a bowl, squeeze the ever-livin’ shit outta the limes & lemon to cover the tuna with fresh citrus juice. Refrigerate overnight, stirring once or twice to ensure the fish is evenly covered.
Finish it up. The next day, drain the excess juice from the dish, add the remaining ingredients, and refrigerate for a few hours prior to serving.
Serve with tortilla chips, and enjoy!
Random Notes from MT:
- I suppose you could use any fish for this ceviche – but really, why would you ever want to?
- The easiest way to dice the albacore loin is to have it slightly frozen and, as always, use a sharp knife.
- Why five limes & one lemon? Because it tasted cool, that’s why.
- I have mental & emotional issues with green peppers from my childhood, hence the orange pepper. This isn’t to say I had a bad childhood, because I didn’t. I had a good upbringing, but green peppers were forced upon me, hidden, lurking, within pizza and hamburgers. At least with pizza, I’d have a high success rate with picking them off the majority of them with extensive green pepper prospecting (a few always got through, though). But burgers? Try picking green peppers out of hamburger patties and see how that goes! How I loathed and cringed with that unexpected crunch and taste. I never got over it; I still avoid them like the plague. Actually, I avoid green peppers more than the plague, for I’d consider going back to work in Ebola-ridden West Africa sooner than I’d eat a green pepper.
- I grow my own cilantro. It goes into just about anything and everything these days. Don’t like cilantro? Start liking it…or substitute with a bit of oregano.
Enjoy.
