The Peruvian gastronomy has reached a worldwide recognition thanks to its diversity of flavors and unique ingredients that conquer the most demanding palates.
This achievement is no coincidence, as it reflects a rich and varied culinary tradition, influenced by various cultures over the centuries. This prestige has led Peruvian cuisine to be included among the 10 best in the world by the culinary magazine Taste Atlas.
Within this celebration of Peruvian cuisine, the Ceviche It stands out as the most iconic dish. According to this renowned publication, ceviche is “the national dish of Peru, which consists of slices of raw fish or seafood seasoned with salt, onion and chili peppers, and then marinated in lime juice.” The acidity of the lime juice transforms the texture and color of the fish, underscoring the freshness of the ingredients, an essential characteristic of Peruvian gastronomy.
This June 28th, Peru celebrates National Ceviche Day, a date that highlights the importance of this dish in the culture and identity of the country. In any case, this special day could be commemorated anywhere in the world, since it is a delicacy appreciated by international diners. The celebration not only honors a traditional recipe, but also the culinary skill and creativity of the chefs.
In Argentinathe love for ceviche is no exception. Master chefs create twists and include different types of fish, vegetables, hot peppers, and even vegetarian versions.
In dialogue with Infobaethe chef Charlie Diaz, a native of Peru, pointed out: “To reverse ceviche, we must respect and take into account that it is cultural heritage. To begin with, you can never miss fresh fish, red onion, lemon juice, salt and a spicy chili pepper. In my case, I choose ají limo, which is used in Peru. Coriander is also essential, but that is a personal opinion.”
“Ceviche is very significant because it goes hand in hand with the global trend of moving towards healthier and more conscious eating, which takes advantage of local resources. This recipe meets all of these requirements, as long as the proximity aspect is respected,” said Díaz, who works at La Pescadería. And he added: “Starting from the base of ceviche, with the ingredients that cannot be missing, it is possible to achieve different textures, flavors and results that have the imprint that each chef wants to provide. Ceviche is very versatile to remake.”
Gustavo Montestruque Bissoa Peruvian chef with extensive experience in the kitchens of Latin American restaurants, reflected on the question of Infobae: “Ceviche is a very significant dish in global gastronomy. In large part because it is a Latin American dish to begin with. Peruvian ceviche has become a little more well-known because we have embraced it and because it has evolved over time and adapted to modern times. When the Japanese culture of respect for the product and raw fish meets the Peruvian seasoning, a mix was made that has the best of both worlds.”
According to Montestruque Bisso, Peruvian ceviche used to be cooked “for many hours, until the Japanese influence arrived”: “They taught us that you have to understand and respect the product, and that you have to enhance it and not overshadow it. That is why, being such a modern dish but also with so much history, it is present everywhere. We Peruvians have made our way of seeing, making and eating ceviche known to the world, and that has made people fall in love with this dish, which has made it important and found on many menus around the world, even in non-Peruvian restaurants.”
“There are many types of ceviche. What are the essential ingredients? In classic ceviche, fish ceviche, the essential ingredients are salt, lemon, fish, onion and chili. Some say that it should also include pepper and cilantro. With this mix there are herbal, fruity, acidic, protein, textures and freshness parts, which makes it complete,” said the chef.
For Montestruque Bisso, “the key to giving ceviche a new twist is to add techniques and ingredients, and in any case it is essential to respect the product. Fish, seafood or even vegetables should be the protagonist, and there must be an acidic medium. You cannot make a sweet ceviche without lemon or without any acid and call it sweet ceviche because it will not be. I have even seen desserts in homage to ceviche that, although they do not have fish, they do have lemon. The main thing is to respect the product and its origin; from then on it can be adapted to each place and taste.”
For his part, the chef Pablo Ardiles highlighted in conversation with Infobae that ceviche “became one of the most representative dishes globally due to its consumption and interest in preparing it not only in traditional kitchens, but also at home. Its ingredients and freshness have made it one of the favorite preparations for those looking to enjoy specific flavors.”
“A ceviche cannot lack acidity (lemon), spiciness (lima pepper) and aroma (cilantro). It is important to use a good lemon in season and that the fish is fresh,” advised Ardiles, who displays his creativity at the Tanta restaurant. At the same time, to remake this dish, he emphasized: “I would adapt the recipe to each person’s palate, I would cure the fish a little less and, depending on its characteristics, I would make a more slanted cut. I would also add a little more celery mix, cilantro in chiffonade and chili pepper in brunoise”:
The chef Astrid Acuñato its turn, He told Infobae: “Ceviche is a representative cultural expression of Peruvian food. It is a sustainable dish that, beyond the ingredients that make it up, such as fish, lemon, and the rest of the ingredients, is a sample of joy, culture, family, memories and everything that revolves around this dish. distinguished”.
“Ceviche can be reversed in different ways with varied ingredients that represent the gastronomic culture of more than one place. However, it is important not to eliminate the key elements of this preparation so as not to lose its essence: fresh fish, cilantro, lemon, onion and chili,” said the chef of the La Mar cevicheria. For her, “achieving a good ceviche has to be see, among other things, with quality ingredients and fresh fishing that guarantees the freshness of the preparation.”
Classic ceviche with tiger’s milk, by Gustavo Montestruque Bisso.
Ingredients:
- 100 grams of celery.
- 85 grams of red onion.
- 35 grams of white onion.
- 10 grams of ginger.
- 5 grams of garlic.
- 200 milliliters of lemon juice.
- 200 milliliters of lime juice.
- 160 grams of fish
- 200 milliliters of fish gondo
- Salt
- Ice
- Half a chili pepper.
- 20 grams of cilantro.
- 140 grams of white fish
- White pepper
- cooked sweet potato
- Cooked corn.
- Toasted corn.
Cut the fish into cubes and add to a bowl. Season with salt, ground garlic and ground white pepper. Add the chopped cilantro and chili, and mix. Squeeze the lime juice over the fish and mix. Add the tiger’s milk and mix. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the onion cut into strips and mix. Place the cooked sweet potato slices on a deep plate. Serve the ceviche in the middle and add toasted corn and choclo on the sides.
Garnish with a slice of chili and a few cilantro leaves. In a blender, add all the ingredients, except the ice, chili and cilantro stems. Blend for one or two minutes until everything is combined. Add the chili and cilantro stems, and blend by pulsing five times. Add the ice to a bowl and strain the tiger’s milk. Set aside.
Northern ceviche, from the Tigre Morado kitchen team
Ingredients
- Sole
- Tiger milk
- Onion
- Purple Onion
- Cilantro
- red jalapeno
- Popcorn
Cut the sole into cubes, place it in a bowl with the tiger milk and half the weight of the onion. Marinate for a few minutes. Serve on the plate and decorate with pyramid-shaped red onion, cilantro, red jalapeño and popcorn. “The essential ingredients of traditional ceviche include fresh fish, lemon or lime juice, onion, chili pepper, cilantro, salt and pepper. These elements are the base for creating the classic ceviche, but you can also add ingredients such as corn, sweet potato, cancha (toasted corn) to give it an additional touch of flavor and texture,” Tigre Morado told Infobae. And they added: “The key is in the freshness of the ingredients and finding the perfect balance between acidity and spiciness.”
Ceviche with sole, by Facundo Minaberrigaray (@facundo.chef)
Ingredients:
- 500 grams of sole fillet.
- A quarter of a red onion.
- A quarter of a red bell pepper.
- A quarter of a yellow bell pepper
- Cilantro.
- A nice boy.
- Canta corn or crispy corn.
- Salt and pepper.
- Juice of 3 limes.
Clean the sole fillets and cut them into cubes. Grate some limes and squeeze the others. Chop the onion and bell peppers. Cook the bonito in boiling salted water and cut into cubes. Toast or fry the corn. Chop the cilantro. Blend part of the fish with onions, part of the bell pepper, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper to obtain tiger’s milk. Marinate the rest of the fish in the tiger’s milk for at least one hour before serving. Mix the fish with the tiger’s milk, the rest of the onions, the bell peppers, the sweet potato, and the hot sauce and present it in a casserole dish. Decorate it with the corn, chopped cilantro and lime zest.
