Ceviche, y Bienvenidos en Mexico!

It’s day two of a week long vacation near Tulum in the Yucatan peninsula and I’m already dreaming of how I am going to quit everything and move here to sell ceviche out of a palapa on the beach. Our house is a stone’s throw from the waters edge, where hammocks and kayaks await our every whim, whether we want to lounge lazily under the sun or explore the colorful, lively reef beneath the water.

Across the bay, about a 15 minute walk from our palapa-roofed casa, is a tiny shack where Carlos and his family have set up an exceptional little seafood restaurant right on the beach. The tables are scattered beneath the palm trees on the blindingly white sands, the beer is cold, the service cheerful and the food more than memorable. Ceviche, a raw fish dish, is a specialty of the region and one of my personal favorites. The mixture of scallops, shrimp, red snapper and any fresh catch of the day, is marinated in lime juice and spices and served with sliced avocado, fresh tortillas and hot sauce. The result is a tender and flavorful explosion of colors and tastes.

Ceviche Yucatán

• 1 lb scallops
• 1 lb shelled deveined shrimp
• 1 lb skinned deboned redfish, cubed
• Or any mix of fish and/or shellfish you fancy
• 1 pint fresh lime juice

• salt
• fresh black pepper
• ¾ cup olive oil
• dried oregano
• 12 deveined and deseeded jalapenos or serranos, thinly sliced
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 2 avocados, cubed
• 6 tomatoes, cubed
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped