"Are you talking about Ceviche?"

It's when Christina Yang uttered those words on Grey's Anatomy in season 6* that was the first I had ever heard of ceviche. I had to google it to understand the reference the insensitive, yet hilarious doctor was making about a woman who got into a fight with a boat propeller and lost.


Fast forward to the present and my coworker trying to recreate the fabulous dish she had on vacation with her family in Miami. It was shocking to find out that ceviche is raw fish that is essentially cooked via the acids from citrus. Being a sushi nut, I was skeptical but willing to give it a try. I was hooked on a single bite.

The beauty of ceviche is that you can put any spin on it you'd like.

My version pictured was made as so:

(this was a single serving that I ate on it's own for lunch)

One tilapia fillet (4oz or so)

Three limes

1/4 cup chopped yellow onion

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 cup tomato

::These measurements are estimates, I did not actually measure the ingredients out when I made it, use amounts that suit your taste::

Juice limes into a plastic or glass food container that has a lid to seal it. Chop fish into bite-sized chunks, add to lime juice. Add chopped onion to juice and fish. Mix in basil. I let my ceviche marinate in the fridge over night. If you're eating it the same day I'd let it rest for a couple hours and take note of the color change from pinkish to white, more cooked appearance. I added the tomatoes a couple hours before I planned on having lunch so they wouldn't be too soggy. Just add them with the rest of the ingredients if you plan on eating it the same day. That's it! 

It's so neat how the juice transforms the fish and even begins to break down the onion into a sweeter version of it's raw self.

More on the beauty of ceviche:

• You can mix/substitute citrus - oranges, limes and lemons - Oh my!
• You can use any spice that you prefer. This dish is typically made with cilantro but I hate cilantro. 
• You can mix in any veggie that strikes your fancy.
• You can use the marinaded meat to make fish tacos! NOM, NOM, NOM!

* I had to look the info about what season of GA Christina said the ceviche comment. I'm not a freak who just knows trivial things like that.