This
recipe epitomizes what a great ceviche should be—crunchy, sweet,
savory, tart, and rich all in one bite. Corvina, a type of sea bass, is
the most widely used fish in South America for ceviche, and is very
forgiving for the novice. Its firm, lean flesh holds up better to acid
and is easy to either thinly slice or dice.
The combination of
sweet potato and raw marinated fish is common in Peru, although there
the potato might be roasted whole, sliced, and served fanned at the edge
of a plate of ceviche similar to this crunchy, tart version. As you eat
the marinated fish, pull away bites of sweet potato from the edge of
the dish and enjoy both components at once. Don't be swayed to leave out
the sweet potato garnish—you must try both the tart, firm fish and the
potato in the same bite to really understand and savor how they work
together. Leftover sweet potatoes make a great side dish for spicy
foods.
Ingredients
6 servings
Candied Sweet Potatoes
1/3 pound peeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
Marinade
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup fresh celery juice
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons aji amarillo paste (see Note)
1 pound skinless corvina fillet, blood line removed and cut into 1/2-inch dice
Garnish
1/4 cup very finely diced celery
3 tablespoons finely diced red onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup whole cilantro leaves
Preparation
Step 1
To
make the candied sweet potatoes, put the sweet potatoes, syrup, and 3/4
cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high
heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the
potatoes are soft but still hold their shape, about 15 minutes.
Step 2
Drain
the potatoes, reserving the syrup, and let cool. Once the potatoes are
at room temperature, put them back in the cooled syrup to store in the
refrigerator until ready to use. Drain the potatoes well before using.
You should have about 2 cups.
Step 3
In
a nonreactive bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients until well
combined. Add the corvina and toss to combine. Add the celery, red
onion, and chopped cilantro and mix well.
Step 4
Transfer
the ceviche to individual glasses or a large shallow bowl. Place about 1
cup of the candied sweet potatoes on the sides of the glasses or bowl
and top with the cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.
