Tostados de Ceviche (Latin Appetizer)

[Dana H.]

Tostados de Ceviche
(Courtesy of link removed as advertising is not allowed)

The sparkling waters around Isla Mujeres, off the sunny coast of Cancun, Mexico, abound with endless varieties of fish - a perfect place to enjoy ceviche, the popular Latin American appetizer. Although the authentic version is prepared with raw fish "cooked" in the acid of lime juice, this recipe is made with canned tuna, marinated in freshly squeezed lime juice, tomato, onion and peppers. Enjoy this ceviche as a starter, or double the recipe for a light lunch - and get the heart-healthy benefits of tuna.

Ingredients:

1 can (6 ounces) albacore tuna in water, drained, flaked
Juice of 2 limes
1 cup canned diced tomatoes with green chiles, slightly drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 small avocado, peeled, stone removed, sliced
1 small onion, sliced in rings
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley
4 (6 inch) wheat tortillas
Lime wedges, for garnish
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Preparation Time: Approximately 20 minutes

Cook Time: Approximately 30 minutes

Preparation:

Cover tuna with lime juice in a medium bowl. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, olive oil, oregano and pepper. Gently mix with the tuna; chill for 30 minutes to blend the flavors.

Crispen wheat tortillas on a baking pan in a 375°F oven for 7 to 10 minutes.

To serve, arrange the tuna mixture on crisp tortillas. Top with avocado slices and onion. Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro sprigs.

Servings: 4

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories 290; Total fat 14g (Saturated fat 2.5g); Cholesterol 20mg; Sodium 490mg; Carbohydrate 29g (Fiber 6g); Protein 14g

For this recipe and more, visit link removed as advertising is not allowed.

 

[bknox]

I love ceviche. Next time your in Cancun take the bus to Playa Del Carmen and the Ferry over to Cozumel and rent a scooter to the other side of the island. Just about 5 or 10 minutes after you hit the other side of the island and are forced to make a sharp right turn there is a small restaurant (I use this term loosely) on the beach. It is hard to see from the road but when you get around to seeing it, it looks like a Corona ad. Park and go sit at a table under the palm umbrellas and order the Conch ceviche and salsa with chips and a bunch of ice cold beer. Be careful with the salsa, it is made with Habanero. The ceviche is excellent.

Did you see the post for the Avocado, Papaya Crab salad? It is a 'no wait' version of a ceviche as well, and really good. I will have to test out your recipe in the near future and when I find my ceviche recipes I will make sure to post them.

Just so you know, I did a little research on ceviche a couple years ago and this type of salad is found in a lot of different cultures and traced back to Portugese and Spanish origins. Probably introduced to Latin America by the Spanish.

Thanks for the recipe,
Bryan

PS: When I get a minute I will try and remember to post a photo of this place so you will know what to look for.

 

[Lugaru]

The canned tuna is an interesting option. As a mexican my first thought is "noooo!" but stopping for a second to actually think about it well it makes perfect sense. It wouldent be the same but that dosent mean it wouldent be good (like taco bell is very unmexican yet very good!).

bknox: Variations on ceviche is a subject I enjoy a lot, for example some south american countries (Peru for instance) who use vinagre instead of lime (which we usually call an escaveche in my country). Either way my two favorite variations which are from my state of course are the following:

Campechana: The base of the liquid is pretty much 30% lime juice, 40% shrimp broth and 30% clamato. This is one of the "secret recipies" of the ceviche stands and they actually sold bags and jars of their liquid mix. Anyway's what makes a campechana unique is that it's ceviche "with the works" or in other words oysters, clams, mussels, scallops, octopus, squid (sometimes, not too common), a couple of types of fish (usually lobina and globito) and shirmp. That and cubbed tomato, onion and a few sprigs of cilantro. This is a really fresh and revitalizing meal served ice cold in a giant coctail glass with a high stack of tostadas, crackers (some people like them with ceviche) and huichol and valentina brand hotsauce. It's pretty scary (my mother who is american say's it looks like something they would eat at the cantina in starwars) but man does it get your blood pumping.

Camarones ahogados: the big deal here is freshness... you need raw shirmp that JUST came out of the ocean. Basically they peel them and dump them into a plate. After that they are drenched in lime, sea salt, course black pepper and rings of raw white onion, eaten still raw. I guess it would be my states answer to sushi... either way it's really good and simple.

 

[jkath]

Being a seafood non-lover, but adoring mexican food, I thought I'd check this one out.
First off, great idea - I can handle tuna, which means it'll be my first trying of anything ceviche-ish.
Secondly, Bryan: please write a book! Your descriptions are fantastic!
Thirdly, Lugaru: again, your knowledge is neverending.

Thanks so much all three of you!!!

 

[Dana H.]

I've never had the pleasure to visit Cancun. I'm sure it's beautiful. The description sounds absolutely gorgeous. link removed as advertising is not allowed

 

[bknox]

Thanks for the insight and better yet the names of the dishes.(Campechana, Camarones ahogados). I love Mexico and have had the opportunity to go a couple of times including visiting Cozumel some 20 years ago when it was just a town and Playa Del Carmen was a village with a runway. I breaks my heart a little to see what the resorts have done in the straights of Yucatan.

I apologize in advance for geeking out but anytime I can get or make an authentic Mexican dish I jump on it. I love traditional Mexican food.

Not to get off subject and to make a long story short. My older brothers daughter, who is in 4H, has been raising goats for several years. She is a small wealth of information about raising goats. She was explaining to me that the world outside of the U.S. eat a fairly large amount of goat. It caught me off guard a little because even though I have eaten many different kinds of meat including snake, lizard and ostrich, I never thought to eat a goat. We used goats to clear fence lines when I was a kid. She told me it is called 'cobrito' (sp?) and that it is not only excellent but better for you than other types of meat because it is so lean. Have you ever prepared cobrito or do you know of a traditional preparation. I am trying to find it in the stores here in Chicago and am fairly excited to make it.

Thanks
Bryan

 

[bknox]

Cozumel and Conch Ceviche

I found photographs of the place I was talking about on the other side of Cozumel. I also found a couple of pictures from Cozumel 20+ years ago before the resorts found it. Cancun at this time was already beginning to pick up speed for being a resort destination but Cozumel was still a small town with locally owned motels and lots af artists. Much different place now.

First, the picture below is the place with the cold beer and excellent conch ceviche

The next two images are me. The first is about 1985 (my brother Tim on the right) and the second picture is 2003.

This is main street Cozumel 1985

Thought you guys would enjoy the small retrospect.

Bryan

 

[Ishbel]

Curried goat is a popular Jamaican dish. I've eaten goat on Greek islands and in Egypt!

Can't say I'm in love with the meat, but I'll eat it.

 

[Raine]

A lot of times the first thing out of someone's mouth (when they learn we bbq) is ever done any goat?

Goat bbq competitions are held a good bit in TX. Ihave a bbq buddy who lives in Greece who cooks a lot of goat and lamb.

We have never cooked or eaten any goat.

 

[bknox]

This is excellent. I have looked in a couple Mexican Markets here in Chicago with no luck. Any suggestions on where I could purchase some goat. I want to make some this weekend if I can get it together.

Jamaican curried goat sound great as well. I should no better than to start talking food before lunch. No I am starving.

If I actually find some goat locally I think I will try a curry dry rub and bbq as well. If anybody else has a recipe or a name of a dish it would be greatly appreciated.

Mediterranean and Indian groceries are fairly close to my place, maybe they would carry it.

Thanks,
Bryan

 

[Ishbel]

The curried goat that I've eaten was in Jamaica and Trinidad. But, many of the Caribbean islands claim it as their own!

I found this website which has a few goat recipes - can't vouch for how good they are, though!

http://www.fiery-foods.com/dave/goat2003.asp

 

[Shunka]

Bryan, some people raise goats around here just for eating and/or milking. We have a largely Mexican population here. If you were closer, you could get a good fresh one!!

 

[bknox]

Fiery-foods.com, I should have thought to check there. It is funny you mentioned this site. I am having luch with Dave and his wife Thursday. They are in town for a book signing tour for his new book 'The Spicy Food Lovers Bible'.

Thanks for the link,
Bryan

 

[Yakuta]

Bryan, where do you live in Chicago?


I live in the Northwestern suburbs and just so you know goat is not just popular in Carribean and Latin cuisine but in Indian cuisine as well.

Indian's eat more goat than lamb. I prefer goat because it's leaner and not to mention a lot less gamey than lamb.

I buy my goat from Devon. There is a place call Farm City Meat. It's an Arab who runs the place and you can get everything fresh other than pork.

Goat sells for about $ 4 dollars per pound for a goat leg which is pricier than most meats they sell.

You can look up their number in the Yellow Pages.

If you live in the suburbs there are other places that sell goat as well.

 

[bknox]

I am in Edgewwater just south of Devon Ave, maybe a mile. I will look them up. I knew in a city with as much versatility in food as Chicago that I would be able to find it. Thanks for the heads up.

Bryan

 

[Lugaru]

About goat try a straight up meat market. The one I go to is ran by white guy's and they still manage to carry goat most of the time, but of course it is located in a hispanic part of town so maybe that's the reason.