Peruvian Cooking Class: Cerviche in Cuzco, Peru.

My favourite Peruvian dish is cerviche- which features fresh raw fish marinated in lemon juice, garlic, ginger, and aji peppers. We went pretty mad for cerviche during our trip to Chile and Peru (consuming a cerviche almost every day we were there), so I was really happy about getting a chance to how to prepare an authentic Peruvian cerviche during a cooking class in Cusco. We were taught by a chef from Lima. This recipe for Peruvian fish ceviche is prepared with fresh fish, limes, onions, spicy peppers, and fresh cilantro. Ceviche usually consists of seafood that is marinated with lime juice. It is the acidity of the lime juice that actually “cooks” the seafood. Not all types of ceviche are made with raw seafood. However, the most classic and traditional ceviche is usually made with raw fish which is cooked by the lime juice. This is why it is very important to use extremely fresh and high quality fish to prepare ceviche.

The type of limes which are used to make ceviche is also very important. Peruvian fish ceviche usually includes some type of aji or hot pepper, one of the most popular is called aji Limo, which can be found frozen and/or canned in most Latin grocery stores in the US. Remove the seeds and veins, and use the pepper to infuse flavor into the lime juice and fish.

Peruvian ceviche is typically served with boiled corn or cancha (Andean roasted corn nuts), and sweet potatoes. The sweet potato is usually boiled and sliced.

Keep reading after the jump!

• 1 ½ pounds fresh fish filets (tila-pia, halibut, sole) • 1 red onion, thinly sliced

• 2 cloves of garlic

• 20 limes • 2 Limo chili peppers, without seeds and deveined

• 4 twigs of fresh cilantro

• 1 rocoto pepper

• Salt to taste

• 2 glazed sweet potatoes • Cinnamon, sugar & cloves Basis:

• 5oz Fumet

• 100gr/3.5oz pieces of fish

• 1 twig celery

• 1 teaspoon garlic paste

• white pepper

• Umami/Ajinomoto

• 1 tablespoon lime juice

To serve:

• Cancha (Andean corn nuts)

• Sweet potato

Preparation

Cerviche

1. Cut the fish into cubes, trim off the excess for the Leche Tigre

2.  Season the extra pieces of fish with salt, pepper, umami, garlic paste and minced limo pepper. Let sit for 10 minutes. The, add a tablespoon of lime juice and, finally, blend everything along with the twig of celery. Add the fumet and sieve.

3. Add minced garlic, salt, white pepper, and lime juice to the fish and mix. Let 'cook' for 5 minutes.

4. Add the chopped limo pepper and the cilantro, and mix.

5. Add thin slices of onion and add the Leche Tigre. Serve with a side of glazed sweet potatoes and roasted corn

Sweet potato

Peel the sweet potatoes and put them in a pot with just enough water to cover them. Add cinnamon, cloves, a lime cut in half and sugar. Cook over low heat until they are soft and sweet. Let cool.