Originally from Peru, ceviche is typically made from raw fish cured in citrus juice. Marinating in acids “cooks” the seafood, but won’t kill bacteria or parasites. So be sure to use only very fresh seafood from a reputable market. Or, if you’re traveling in a van, try this version where we first poach the shrimp before adding to the marinade. It’s still awfully good!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of raw, wild-caught medium shrimp
  (we bought frozen, shelled and deveined shrimp at Aldi’s)
• ¼ cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• ¼ cup lime juice (about 3 limes)
• 2-3 Roma tomatoes, diced
• ¼ cup cucumber, seeded and diced
• ¼ cup yellow bell pepper, diced
• ½ small red onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• 1 handful cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
• Paprika
• Salt and pepper

Preparation:

Thaw the shrimp and remove any shells, tails or veins missing by the packagers. Bring 2-3 quarts of water to a rapid boil in a sauce pan and add your shrimp. Poach for 2-3 minutes, just until the shrimp begin to turn opaque. Remove and drain. You can add a bit of ice or cold water to the shrimp here to stop the cooking process. Allow to the shrimp to cool for a few minutes and drain again. Cut the shrimp into bite-sized pieces. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, peppers and onion to a bowl, along with a ½ tsp of sea salt and a generous grind of fresh pepper. Add the lemon and lime juices and toss. Set aside to marinade in the fridge or very cool spot for about an hour. We usually use a one-gallon ziplock for this, since it fits better in out tiny van fridge.

When you’re ready to eat, add the cilantro and toss. Let sit for a minute and then drain most of the citrus juice from the ceviche. Serve up in bowls with a sprinkle of paprika, a few more cilantro leaves, and your favorite chips, Olé!