CookingDiva

This is a traditional summer appetizer and party food in Panama. We have such an abundance of marvelous superfresh fish, seafood, vegetables, fruits, and the always growing tendency of -fusion cuisine- finds interesting ways to transform this traditional, all time-favorite dish into a delicate or adventurous trip to the tropics. Welcome to my kitchen, my cyber friends.

The one recipe I am presenting today is the traditional, well loved -ceviche de corvina.  During the following days I will share with you variations and new ways to prepare and dress up this delicious ceviche.

Corvina is one of our most common and highly rated fish for the quality of the meat, its white color and texture.

It is delicious just grilled with lime juice, served with some patacones (plantain chips)---hmmm, or arroz con coco (coconut rice), or arroz con porotos (beans and rice).

When you prepare ceviche, it is the lime (or lemon juice) that "cooks" the fish.

We are very proud of our internationally famous method of serving fish
tidbits. A mixed assortment can include squid, octopus, scallops, clams,
lobster, crab as well as longorones, a black shellfish similar to scallops. You can use what you have available or what you like the most...,
what insures a variety of textures and flavors.
Now the recipe:

Ceviche de Pescado

Ingredients:

2 pounds FRESH white-fleshed skinless fish fillets such as seabass, sole,
cod, or corvina
Salt
1 cup fresh lime juice (about 12 limes)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small clove garlic, chopped very fine
1 or 2 fresh aji chombo (Habanero pepper), seeded and chopped fine
1/4 cup celery stalks, diced
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
1 medium red onion, chopped fine (1/2 cup)
6 romain lettuce leaves (1 for each plate)
cherry tomatoes (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cut the fish into cubes 1/4 by 1/4 inches.
2. Soak the fish cubes in lightly salted water for 1 hour to tenderize. Drain well.
3. Put the fish in a bowl and fold in the lime juice carefully. Add the salt, garlic, aji chombo, cilantro, onion, celery and refrigerate for 24 hours.
4. To serve, line a bowl or large platter with the lettuce. Place the ceviche in the center and garnish with the cherry tomatoes, if using.

Serves 6

Today's QUESTION: "Why is True Love like STRANSKY Steel Ware? Visit Tasty Design to know the answer!

Now, lets talk garlic:

The use of garlic is just about as old as man himself. And the herb's medicinal properties have been known for about as long. Immigrants in the early part of the past century, and our ancestors from pioneer stock, where quite happy to eat a clove or two of garlic whenever they needed an energy boost or simply to fight off a cold.

If you look through the ancient stories from just about any part of the world, you will find garlic mentioned as a curative and tonic, able to help solve minor medical conditions and a few major ones as well.

Without doubt, garlic helps digestion and elimination. Country after country, story after story all relate to garlic's ability to soothe the stomach and cleanse the system. How else do you explain the same stories cropping up in Spain, in India, in Egypt, in Iceland, everywhere there are written records? These stories did not travel from one geographic region to another. Each was created in the country of origin, and was based on the simple, empirical fact that when you give people garlic they generally get better!

If you are a garlic lover like me, do not miss my previous post and recipe: "The Joy of Garlic: Olive Roasted Head of Garlic". Besides keeping you all healthy, you will keep vampires and mosquitos away. That comes really handy sometimes!

Now, the scrumptious recipe to prepare "Camarones al Ajillo, Panamanian Style!"

Ingredients:

This recipe to prepare baked whole fish combines some of my favorite ingredients: corvina (seabass), bacon and garlic, flavored nicely with fresh basil and lime juice.

Get up early in the morning and visit the Fish Market, remember that only the freshest ingredients will make your cooking experience a total success! Chew on it a bit (no pun intended!) and let me know the goodies you found at the market

For more information on the “Mercado del Marisco” in Panama City, head over to Lee’s Boquete Guide and check out: Fresh Fish for Breakfast and Walking Panama City - Mercado de Mariscos

En el ajetreado ir y venir de todos los días, la alimentación adecuada puede perder importancia. He aquí una receta de la Chef Melissa De León, para romper con la rutina casera e innovar con otros platos.

Ingredientes

• 4 filetes de atún
• 2 cucharadas de vinagre balsámico
• 2 cucharadas de jugo de limón fresco
• 2 cucharaditas de mostaza Dijon
• 1-1/2 cucharadita de azúcar
• 1/4 cucharadita de sal
• 1 pizca de pimienta
• 6 cucharadas de aceite de oliva
• Lechuga tierna al gusto

Procedimiento

En una sartén caliente agregar 1 cucharada de aceite de oliva y cocinar los filetes de atún por 4 minutos en cada lado.
Mientras tanto, prepare la vinagreta. Combine el vinagre, el jugo de limón, la mostaza, azúcar, sal y pimienta. Lentamente, y batiendo con un batidor de mano, incorpore el aceite de oliva.
Dividir la lechuga en los cuatro platos y colocar un filete de atún en cada uno.
Rociar la vinagreta en partes iguales sobre lechuga y atún.
Rinde 4 porciones.