Summer is coming to an end, so get ready to move on to autumn for your seasonal cooking inpspirations. But before you do, try my latest happytizer: Strawberry Ceviche. After falling in love with Rosé wine recently, I decided to get creative with my one of my favorite seafood dishes, ceviche, and bring them together with the perfect summer fruit.
I make ceviche 1-2 times a month during summer because it’s healthy, inexpensive and a perfect match for those hot days when you want something light and citrusy. Swai fish fillets were on sale at Vons this week for $2.88/lb (crazy cheap), so I picked up a pound of whitefish and the rest of the ingredients I purchased at the 99 cent store.
Adding strawberries to the ceviche is a great way to tie in the strawberry notes of the Rosé wine to the flavors this appetizer. Also, the younger and firmer the strawberries you pick, the better the textures will compliment the ceviche and add to the dish’s natural tanginess. Tortilla chips are a fantastic salty accompaniment to the ceviche as well. So open up a bottle of Rosé wine and enjoy the last days of summer – strawberry style.
Strawberry Ceviche: Low fat, fresh and wallet-friendly
Ingredients:
1 lb of Swai or Tilapia fish (2-3 fillets, diced)
4 firm strawberries (diced)
4 limes (squeezed)
3 tbsp of cilantro (chopped)
2 roma tomatoes (diced)
1/2 red onion (diced)
1 jalepeno (diced)
salt & pepper
tortilla chips
hot sauce (optional)
Make: Squeeze limes and place juice in a large bowl (set aside juice of 1 lime). Dice Swai or Tilapia fillets and put in the bowl of lime juice. Place bowl in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Meanwhile, diced and chop all other ingredients.
Next, take the marinated fish out of the refrigerator and drain and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss remaining ingredients (strawberries, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeño, red onion) in the reserved lime juice and add to the drained fish. Toss all of the ingredients together. Serve in bowl or glass with tortilla chips for dipping.
Tips: You can prepare this dish the night before serving to guests. If you decide to prepare this dish the night before, then wait to add the diced strawberries to the ceviche until right before serving to keep their bright color and firmness. Also, if you are taking the non-carb route, then avocado or lettuce wraps are a great substitute for serving instead of using tortilla chips.
Pairing: Goes well with Rosé wine or especially Rosé sparkling wine. This appetizer also tastes great with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or Gewürztraminer. If pairing with wine, go crazy and add some Strawberry Pop Rocks on top of your ceviche to really impress your guests!
