When it comes to coastal cuisines, nothing beats cod ceviche. Be it over a plate of rice featuring sweet peas, or served as lettuce wraps, you will always marvel at the sweetness of fish dishes and coastal cuisines.

The best Cod fish Ceviche in black bowl with limes and chips

WHAT IS CEVICHE?

Ceviche is a seafood dish where fish (or shrimp) is diced into cubes and marinated in a citrus juice mixture. The marination with fish pieces causes a reaction that cures the fish’s protein and makes the protein hard and opaque.

This process is known as denaturation, and it is the same thing that happens when you cook protein. Another process that occurs is the absorption of the citrus flavor by the fish pieces.

This is known as curing, and it adds a sweet and unconventional taste and flavor to the dish. You can also use seasoning elements such as peppers, onions, and cilantro as we will delve into in this recipe.

HISTORY OF COD CEVICHE

The practice of making raw fish in the ceviche way originated from Southern American coastal cuisine. The exact country where it started is still not known to date. The dish was born out of the need to preserve fish and prevent their wastage.

The Incan were the first to ever preserve fish with fruit juices, chili pepper, and salt. The use of citrus juice was not a thing until the Spanish Conquerors came and introduced the use of lime.

ceviche over rice and lettuce in black bowl

Some sources opined that the ceviche started among the Polynesians in the southern Pacific islands.

However, despite all of these different sources, the country with the highest variations of the ceviche dish is Peru, and as a result, Peru is usually referred to as the origin of the ceviche dish.

You will easily find the ceviche dish in many hotels and restaurants in Peru. Recently, the country recognized the dish as its national food.

The dish is equally popular in the south American continent and most countries have their variation of the dish.

For instance, the Ecuadorian version includes shrimps and tomatoes, and the Mexican version also uses shrimps, but this time, with a chili-infused line mixture.

There is also the Caribbean version which is a bit creamy thanks to the coconut milk added to the ceviche. Even within Peru, there is a Peruvian-Japanese version known as Nikkei. This version includes soy sauce, sesame oil, and togarashi.

Ceviche didn’t find its way into the US until the 1980s when Caribbean food and flavors started diffusing into the US through Florida.

KEY INGREDIENTS USED IN THIS RECIPE

For every ceviche dish, the most important ingredients include raw fish, seasoning, and citrus juices. So first off, the raw fish, which in this case is Cod.

Cod – If you are hoping to make the best cod ceviche dish possible, you need to get your cod fish fresh. The fresh fish should come from the fishmonger or a fish shop that you trust.

If you must, let them know that you are trying to make a cod ceviche, so they can tell you the best catch of the day. However, you will still need to do your due diligence when selecting fresh cod fish for the dish.

For people who don’t know, you can tell the difference between a fresh fish and the stale one from the smell. A fresh cod fish smells salty while the stale one smells fishy. Also, fresh fish is firm to touch.

It is important to state that you should buy the cod fish the day you plan on making the ceviche dish.

Finally, ensure that your fish is firm, flaky, and if possible, white. This will help the fish absorb the flavors in the ceviche better.

Other fish options instead of cod include tuna, Halibut, rockfish, snapper, and seabass. These are all great options.

Garlic – In this recipe instead of using fresh garlic cloves, we used powder as it is easily infused into the dish, and it will also provide a slightly garlicky flavor to the dish.

Fresh cilantro – This is a must when it comes to your cod ceviche. This fresh herb is also used as part of the marinade and serving.

Salt and pepper – These two ingredients are used to season the dish.

Fresh Lemon, Lime Juice, and Vinegar. These are essential ingredients that will further “cook” the fish.

Bell pepper and Extra Virgin Olive Oil – This is helpful to cut down on the sharp flavor.

WHAT FISH IS SAFE FOR CEVICHE?

Ceviche is versatile. There is no one way to make ceviche, and depending on the recipe, a certain type of fish is preferred more than others for various reasons.

The best fish to use when making ceviche is to use one that’s sashimi grade; meaning, the fish must be suitable to eat raw. Listed below are some recommended fish to use when making ceviche.

Cod (as used in this recipe) and mahi mahi – Easily found in seafood marketplaces and local grocery stores in America.

Swordfish and Kingfish– If you are lucky to place your hands on this type of fish, you will enjoy the texture and flavor. These are most popular in fine-dining restaurants.

Sea bass – Sea Bass is most often used in Peruvian Ceviche and easily found in the US. This fish is pricy, but the taste is amazing.

Mackerel – Mostly found in seafood marketplace or international markets, it is also used in some Mexican-style ceviche.

Prawns/shrimp – Most often used in Ecuadorian and Mexican Recipes.

Tuna – Best when served with prawns /shrimp.

Salmon and Halibut – These two types of fish are very expensive. They are not often used in ceviche due to their texture, however, when handled properly, they make an excellent ceviche dish.

Ceviche Toppings

Apart from the fish, the toppings used in the dish also matter a lot. They add flavors and texture to the fish, and this makes up for the impressive taste and aroma of the dish.

In Peru, some of the toppings used include cooked sweet potato, corn, basil, and cilantro.

Other topping options include mango, papaya, avocados, pineapple, bell pepper, and habaneros.

VARIATIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

You can use other fish types to make the ceviche if you don’t feel like using cod fish. As long as the fish is white, flaky, and firm, it will do. Examples of ideal fishes that you can use include sole, grouper, and sea bass.

You can also use other seasonings and spices for the fish. Smoked paprika, chili powder, and cracked black pepper are examples of alternative spices and seasonings that you can use in making the cod ceviche.

SHOULD YOU COOK THE FISH FIRST?

This depends widely on you and your confidence level.

When it comes to consuming raw fish, I am very careful. And that’s because most seafood available in the United States is farmed seafood and is usually shipped in from abroad. This usually creates more bacteria.

To avoid consuming harmful bacteria, I (and recommend) parboil the cod first for at least 1 but no more than 2 minutes. I parboil it to help kill any bacteria in the cod fish.

HOW LONG DO YOU MARINATE FISH FOR CEVICHE?

Depending on the fish you are using to make the ceviche, you should marinate the fish for at least 2 hours but the longer the better.

HOW RISKY IS CEVICHE?

When preparing ceviche, extreme caution should be exercised. Some recipes will argue that the acid from the lemon and lime juice will “cook” or cure the fish or seafood, but this is not entirely true.

Consuming raw fish can possibly result in food poisoning and pregnant women are much more likely to get sick. We recommend that you at least parboil your fish first.

HOW TO MAKE COD CEVICHE

Making this cod ceviche recipe is very simple. The full recipe with the exact measurement is listed in the recipe card below.

Start by adding water and ice (to create an ice bath) in a medium bowl. Set it aside.

Parboil your Cod (We used the Alaskan Cod for this recipe). After your cod fish has been parboiled and cooled in an ice water bath, sit it aside and begin working on the other ingredients.

Cut and dice all the vegetables and the cilantro, this is to include the avocado, cilantro, bell pepper, cucumber, and red onion. Set them aside.

Juice the limes and lemon (remove the seeds and pulp).

Drain the fish and squeeze out any left-behind liquid from the fish.

Cut the fish into big (bitesize) chunks.

In a large bowl, combine the lemon and lime juice, white wine vinegar, and olive oil. Stir well. Then add ground garlic powder, black pepper, and salt. Stir to combine.

Then add the diced vegetables. Mix well to combine. Then add the fish. Continue to mix well, cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Serve and enjoy.

PRO TIPS FOR MAKING COD CEVICHE

Do not be in a rush to serve the dish right away. Allow it to properly “cook”. Ceviche is best eaten when freshly made. But safety first!

Because the cod is parboiled, you have more leeway on when to serve the dish.

If you are not parboiling the fish, you need to avoid overcooking or over-marinating the cod fish in the citric juice as this will cause the fish to start flaking and falling apart. Therefore, if you have sliced the cod fish to ¼ inch thin, you can leave the fish pieces in the juice for up to 30 minutes. This time is enough for the fish pieces to cook through and become opaque. Again, safety first. Use your best judgment and research raw fish safety.

It pays to do the marinating in the fridge.

You should also serve the dish as soon as the marinating is done as the cod ceviche is not a dish that you make ahead of time.

If you must make the cod ceviche ahead of time, you should get everything you are going to need ready. You should slice the cod and get it back on the ice in the fridge, cut up the onions and other herbs/spices, and juice up your citrus mixture. Thus, thirty minutes before you need the dish, you can throw the fish and onions into the juice and put it in the fridge. You can then add other herbs or spices and you can now serve the dish.