My first taste of an herby, all-green ceviche was in Jalapa, Veracruz, at a restaurant called La Campana. Up to that moment, every limy ceviche I’d known had been simply embellished with that classic Mexican quartet of chopped tomato, green chile, white onion and cilantro. Green Ceviche showed a whole new range of possibilities.
Through the years, our original lime-cured fish became lime-kissed scallops and the shower of herbs (cilantro mostly) and chopped serrano chile became a more complex blend of cilantro and parsley (with roasted garlic and serrano), all blended with good olive oil. At our restaurant, we call it adobo verde, a preparation I love always having on hand in my refrigerator at home to add to scrambled eggs, toss with pasta or smear on bread when I’m making a sandwich. Plus, if you store it in a tightly sealed jar with a film of oil on top, it’ll keep for months.
If raw scallops aren’t available (or if they’re not your thing), you can replace them with diced, very fresh (sashimi quality) fish or shrimp. This ceviche is also delicious piled on tostadas as a pass-around appetizer or light meal.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 head garlic, separated into unpeeled cloves
- 4 fresh serrano chiles, stems removed
- 1 medium bunch cilantro, thick lower stems removed (about 1 ounce after thick stems are removed), plus a few leaves for garnish
- 1 medium bunch parsley, thick lower stems removed (about 1 ounce after thick stems are removed)
- 1 cup olive oil
- 2 generous teaspoons salt
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 pound very fresh sea scallops, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1/4 cup silver tequila, optional
- 2 (7 ounces total) small “pickle” cucumbers (the kind you get in the farmers’ market) or Persian (baby) cucumbers, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 ripe avocados , pitted, flesh scooped from skin and then cut into cubes
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the green adobo. Set a large (10-inch) skillet over medium heat. Lay in the garlic and chiles and roast, turning regularly, until soft and browned in spots, about 10 minutes for the chiles and 15 minutes for the garlic. Cool until handleable, then slip off the garlic’s papery husks. Roughly chop everything (no need to remove the chile seeds). In a blender or food processor, combine the garlic and chiles with the cilantro, parsley, olive oil and salt. Process, stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary, until nearly smooth (it should look a little like pesto). Transfer to a pint-size jar and store, covered in the refrigerator, where it will last several months.
Make the ceviche. In a large bowl, combine the lime juice and scallops. Cover and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in ⅓ cup of the herb seasoning and the tequila if you’re using it. (Cover and refrigerate the remainder of the herb mixture for another preparation.) Add cucumber, and stir to combine. To blend the flavors, cover and refrigerate for a few minutes (for best results no more than an hour). Stir in the avocado, then taste and season with a little more lime juice or salt if you think necessary. Serve on lettuce leaf-lined plates or shallow bowls, along with the tortilla chips or saltines.
