By Michael Somerby EBS STAFF
The year was 2009—to be cool was everything; at least that’s
what freshman-in-high-school Michael fancied.
Of course, at that age, everything one does to be cool
is—determined at a later date—decidedly uncool. Cringe-worthy, even.
So as my friend group and I skateboarded around campus and
through our neighborhoods, talking about girls that wanted nothing to do with
us, upperclassmen gatherings we would not be invited to, beers we’d never
drank, joints we’d never smoked, we thought we were kings when the peasant
denomination was more fitting. Today, the memories bring as many smiles to my
face as they do palms to forehead in embarrassment.
One fateful weekend after watching a YouTube demo video that
convinced me I could also shred makeshift bowls and ramps like a pro, I bought
Loaded Longboard’s “Ceviche” deck, complete with a set of coveted Orangatang
brand purple “Stimulus” wheels.
I never managed to replicate any of the sexy skateboarding
maneuvers the professionals showcased in “Please Pass the Salt,” to my dismay
and no surprise, but a silver lining emerged: the top of the bamboo deck
featured a recipe for ceviche.
It would be years before I ever tasted ceviche, but it
planted knowledge that fish could be cooked in citrus juice and citrus juice
alone deep in my impressionable adolescent brain. By the time I was a sophomore
in college, my ceviche was a hit on the balmy North Carolina porches my friends
and I spent hours on, sharing stories that today evoke equal cringe as those
shared over the freshman-designated tables of my high school’s cafeteria.
As Big Sky and its residents dance on that fine line between
summer and winter, making a few tweaks to more traditional ceviche recipes that
center on warm water, white-fleshed fish like tilapia, tuna and snapper, brings
a seasonal dish with just enough zest to honor the passing of the warmer
months.
Recipe:
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 3
Ingredients:
- 1 pound wild salmon, skinned and cubed
- 6-8 limes, juiced
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1.5 avocados, sliced lengthwise
- ½ red onion, diced
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- ½ green bell pepper, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ serrano chili,
minced
- ¼ habanero chili, minced
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 small corn tortillas
Instructions:
- Combine lime juice and salmon in large bowl, ensuring all pieces of fish are submerged
- Let sit for 30-40 minutes, or until salmon chunks are opaque and firm
- Combine other ingredients in a separate bowl, sans vegetable oil, tortillas and avocado slices
- Drain all but 3 tablespoons of lime juice from salmon bowl
- Stir in bowl of herbs, vegetables and seasonings. Set aside
- Heat the vegetable oil on a griddle or large pan over medium-low heat
- Add tortillas, flipping once browned and crispy
- Remove browned tortillas and transfer to plates, using paper towels to dab excess oil
- Scoop even portions of ceviche over tortillas
- Garnish with avocado slices
- Serve with lime wedges
- Enjoy