Name: Peruvian Ceviche Clásico with Leche de Tigre
Yield: 4 servings as a starter
Cuisine: Peru
Ingredients: 180 ml freshly squeezed lime juice (about 8 to 10 limes, or 15 to 20 key limes), squeezed gently; 1 small garlic clove, grated; ½ tsp freshly grated ginger; ½ ají limo, or ¼–½ habanero, or 1 serrano, seeded and minced; 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro stems; ½ tsp salt; 2 ice cubes; 450 g white fish (very fresh and firm, such as fluke, flounder, halibut, corvina or sea bass), skinned and boned; ¾ tsp flaky or kosher salt; ½ red onion, sliced paper-thin, rinsed in ice water and drained; ½ ají limo, or ¼–½ habanero, or 1 serrano, seeded and very finely minced; 2 tbsp chopped cilantro; 1 sweet potato, roasted or boiled, cooled and sliced; boiled Peruvian choclo or sweet corn; cancha (toasted corn nuts), if you have them; lettuce leaves (optional)

Method

Chill everything: the fish, the bowl and the limes. Cold is what keeps ceviche bright and firm.
Make the leche de tigre. Stir the lime juice (180 ml¾ cup), garlic clove (1), ginger (½ tsp), ají limo (½), cilantro stems (1 tbsp), salt (½ tsp) and ice cubes (2) together in a bowl and let it sit 5 minutes while you cut the fish; take out the ice before using. It should taste sharp, salty and spicy.
Cut the fish. Cut the white fish (450 g1 lb) into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes and keep it cold.
Assemble at the last minute. Toss the fish with the flaky or kosher salt (¾ tsp) first, wait a minute, then add the ají limo (½) and pour over the leche de tigre. Toss and let it sit only 2 to 3 minutes, until the outside turns opaque but the center is still translucent.
Serve. Add the red onion (½) and chopped cilantro (2 tbsp), toss once, and serve right away in chilled bowls with the sweet potato (1), corn and cancha, on lettuce leaves if you like. Pour the extra leche de tigre into a small glass to drink.

Notes

Restaurant-style leche de tigre. For a rounder version, blend it for 20 seconds with 4 or 5 cubes of the fish and strain.
Squeeze the limes gently and leave the last bit; pressing hard pulls bitterness from the peel.
Safe fish. Use fish sold for raw eating, or fish frozen at -4°F (-20°C) for 7 days (most "sushi-grade" fish has been), to rule out parasites.
Don't let it sit. Modern Lima ceviche is eaten within minutes; longer marination makes the fish chalky.
Chile choice. Ají limo is the Peruvian original, fruity and citrusy, but hard to find in the US (occasionally frozen or as jarred paste in Peruvian markets). Habanero is the closest in flavor but hotter, so use about half as much. Serrano gives a milder, cleaner green heat with less fruitiness.

Peruvian Ceviche Clásico with Leche de Tigre

Ingredients

Leche de tigre

Ceviche

To serve