Delightfully fresh seafood ceviche perfect dish for light summer supper
Julie Van Rosendaal | for CBC News | Posted: August 15, 2018 9:58 PM | Last Updated: August 15, 2018
Food columnist Julie Van Rosendaal takes a spin through a handy seafood cookbook
This week's cookbook selection is delightfully compact, easy to tuck into your bag (or even your pocket) to take to the cabin for summer vacation.
Off the Hook: Essential West Coast Seafood Recipes is by food writer Aurelia Louvet and photographer/stylist DL Acken, who live and work on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia.
The book is small in size but loaded with inspiring recipes using seafood of the West Coast, one of the best sources of sustainable seafood in the world. From spot prawns to Dungeness crab to smoked salmon, the book offers simple techniques that will appeal to home cooks of any skill level.
Ceviche is perhaps as summery as it gets. A mix of finely diced seafood "cooked" by acidic lemon and lime juice, it puts the freshest fish, scallops and shrimp on a pedestal.
Served almost like salsa, with crisp tortilla chips for scooping, it's a dish made for sharing on the patio. It also doesn't require turning on the oven or putting a pot of water on to boil.
Use the freshest fish you can find and feel free to swap your favourites. Ask your fishmonger's advice, wherever you happen to be.
Prawn and scallop ceviche
If your fishmonger has access to unspoiled scallop shells, they make the most beautiful serving vessels for this elegant dish.
This recipe is an excerpt from Off the Hook: Essential West Coast Seafood Recipes, by DL Acken and Aurelia Louvet, courtesy of TouchWood Editions.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb (450 g) spot prawns, de-headed, peeled, de-veined, tails removed and quartered.
- 1 lb (450 g) scallops, quartered.
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice.
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice.
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion.
- ½ cup diced cucumber.
- 1 cup diced tomatoes.
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro.
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh chili.
- ½ tsp sea salt.
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper.
Preparation:
In a large glass bowl, combine the prawns, scallops, lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice, red onion and cucumber.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator for three hours or until the seafood turns opaque, indicating that it has cured.
Add the tomatoes, cilantro, chili, sea salt and black pepper to the prawn and scallop mixture.
Stir to combine.
Serves: Four people.
Listen to more of Julie Van Rosendaal's take on the seafood-focused cookbook:
- MORE RECIPES | Long-forgotten favourites lettuce soup, honey flummery get new twist
- MORE RECIPES | Salmon gravlax and chocolatey granola bars inspired by legendary seaside inn
- MORE RECIPES | Apricot tarts, steamed leaks and the unsung pleasure of radish butter
- Read more articles by CBC Calgary, like us on Facebook for updates and subscribe to our CBC Calgary newsletter for the day's news at a glance.
With files from the Calgary Eyeopener.