Ceviche - the ideal middle way between serving fish raw and heating it

One of the glories of our global-warming-assisted summers is the opportunity for regular alfresco dining. And when taking my food in the sun, there is one dish I particularly like. Ceviche, or fish cooked in citrus juice, is eaten throughout Latin and central America. Actually, to call this preparation a "dish" is something of a misnomer: ceviche might more accurately be described as a cooking method. The same technique can be used to produce a variety of dishes. In Peru the fish is marinaded in lemon juice and, typically, the ajI amarillo chilli pepper. In Ecuador ceviche is made with the juice of bitter Seville oranges and is served with popcorn. In Mexico the fish is accompanied by slices of raw onion and tomato and is served on toasted tortillas.

Ceviche is thought to date from the late 15th century, when the inhabitants of Peru and Ecuador paired their native seafood with the Seville oranges and lemons introduced by the Spanish conquistadores. It was a fortuitous marriage. Citrus juice added to raw seafood not only flavours the meat, but chemically "cooks" it, rendering the flesh opaque. It is, in many ways, the ideal method for preparing seafood, a convenient middle way between serving fish raw - which is not to everyone's taste - and subjecting it to heat, which can seem barbaric. The problem with heat-cooked fish is that, if manipulated, the flesh tends to disintegrate. Marinading fish in citrus juice actually firms up the flesh, making it possible to mix it with other ingredients.

The other great advantage of ceviche is that it is extremely easy. Basically, if you can wield a knife safely, this is a dish you can make. No matter what combination of ingredients you use, the process will generally be the same. First, cut the seafood (and it can be any type you fancy: salmon, monkfish, lobster, snapper, prawns, mackerel) into smallish pieces. Then marinade it in plenty of citrus juice (I'd recommend using lemons to begin with, but a mixture of oranges and limes produces a passable imitation of the Seville orange juice favoured in Ecuador); two hours is enough, but it can be longer. The fish will now be "cooked". At this stage you add any other ingredients you fancy before leaving the dish to marinade in the fridge for a few hours more. For a simple ceviche, you might add coriander, chopped garlic and red chilli. To make it a bit more exotic, you could also add coconut milk and chopped cucumber. Or, in a Mexican spirit, you might mix your fish with a salsa of chopped tomato, onion, chilli and coriander. This is a dish that rewards experimentation. One thing always to remember is to add a reasonable quantity of salt. Otherwise, your ceviche could lack bite, and you might be disappointed.

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