A Great Ceviche Recipe for Spring

Recently, our local Central Market had a pop up sale on Hawaiian fish flown (very) fresh direct from Hawaii. If you follow CM on Facebook, you watched the fresh fish journey unfold, from loading onto the plane after the auction to arriving at each store. The unique fish they won at auction were beautifully displayed whole in their display cases, and portioned for customers as the need arose. For some reason, even the tuna and swordfish looked extra special when placed next to these rarer varieties, which included two GIANT opah. We quickly decided we must take advantage of these offerings and make one of our favorite warm-weather dishes: ceviche. We decided to try it with opah this time, although other white fish will do when it's not Hawaiian Fest. The opah was just impressive - It took two grown men to even get it in the case! For those who haven't had opah before--it's a firm-fleshed fish with a good rich flavor, somewhat similar to swordfish. Needless to say, it is wonderful for ceviche! Our recipe is quite simple. But then again, that's how ceviche is supposed to be.

Ingredients Needed for 2 generous servings: 1/2 lb. fresh fish 2 c. Lime juice 1/2 c. Pico de gallo 1 avocado 1 bunch cilantro Salt and pepper to taste Dice the fish into 1/2 inch cubes, making sure to get rid of the bloodline and skin. If you ask really nicely, the fish guys at CM might even do this for you! Then, simply submerge with lime juice and let marinate (refrigerated) for one hour. We sometimes even do this at the grocery store while we shop (with the container holding the fish submerged in ice). Once the fish has cured (you will see a noticeable color difference, from pink to white), drain the lime juice and other liquid and place it in a larger bowl. Dice up the avocado and cilantro, toss it in along with the pico, and mix well. Add salt and pepper to your liking.

Serve immediately with tortilla chips and enjoy. Ceviche doesn't save all that well (the residual lime juice continues to "cook" the fish as it sits, making it mushy), so make enough to eat in one sitting. If you have extra fish, save it for the next day when you can make another batch.