Simple fresh avocado salmon ceviche “cooked” in fresh lime juice and spiced with red cured onions, salt, coriander, tomato and avocado is a lovely summer dish you’ll want to make over and over again. It makes a lovely elegant and delicious light meal or an amazing appetizer. And you can make it in less than 15 minutes.
A couple of really hot days were coming up and they were just calling for a dish, which doesn’t require any stove or oven. Therefore, I made a simple fresh avocado salmon ceviche. Light, full of flavour and healthy – perfect for the summer.
Ceviche is a fish or seafood dish, originated in Latin America (Peru to be exact). They know what is good. Wink. Just look at these simple ingredients: fish, coriander, tomato, onion, avocado and limes. I see freshness, lightness and deliciousness.
Ceviche and raw fish
The fish is not raw but it is also not cooked since cooking requires heat. In other words, the fish is soaked in citrus juice. Through this chemical process, which is another form of “cooking”, the flesh of the fish turns from raw to opaque and at the same time it gets firm. The length of marinating really depends on the size of the fish pieces and your taste.
So bigger chunks need more time to “cook”. However, if you like your fish a bit raw, you should shorten the marinating time. Since I cut the salmon into small pieces (1-2 cm), I marinated it just for a short time. After 5-7 minutes it turned out just perfect, barely cooked and opaque on the outside and slightly pink and raw on the inside.
Using the right bowl
In addition, use a glass, stainless steel or a plastic bowl to marinate the fish. With these, you can be sure, that neither citrus juices nor tomato will react with the material by leaving a funny metal aftertaste.
Furthermore, you can use almost any fish to create ceviche. Most importantly, make sure the fish is fresh, semi-firm or firm. Salmon (together with tuna) is listed as an “oily” fish. I find them both just perfect for ceviche. Tuna ceviche was my first ceviche recipe. But I used canned tuna. Anyway, this time, I picked a fresh salmon fillet.
I love salmon. If you love it too, jump to these links and check out more salmon recipes (this time cooked by heat; wink): a creamy spinach stuffed salmon, an easy creamy Tuscan salmon, an autumn pesto salmon with roasted pumpkin, a BBQ Alaska salmon, a delicious salmon horseradish gratin, a cute salmon-spinach egg muffin cups, an easy salmon in tomato fennel sauce, simple grilled salmon with avocado mayo or a fancy spinach cream cheese roll.
This fresh avocado salmon ceviche pairs wonderfully with tortilla chips, sweet potato wedges, lettuce, spinach, flatbread, rice, other fish. Or, as I did, with a nice slice of sourdough bread on aside. But remember, ceviche has to be served cold.
Also, you can prepare it one day ahead and keep it in the fridge (up to two days). But, since it’s so easy and quick to prepare, I would recommend making it and eating it on the same day. After all, fresh always tastes the best.
Ingredients for one portion of fresh avocado salmon ceviche:
- 5 fresh spinach leaves (optional)
- 1/2 red onion (finely chopped)
- 1/2 tomato (deseeded, diced)
- 150 g salmon fillet (skinned, boned, cubed)
- salt
- 2 limes (juice)
- 1/2 avocado (diced)
- 1-2 Tbsp of fresh chopped coriander
- 1 radish (sliced, optional)
To begin, wash thoroughly the spinach and leave it to drain and wash, deseed the tomato and cut it into small (1 cm) cubes. Then, peel and thinly chop the onion. In a bowl, combine onion, a pinch of salt and juice of one lime.
How to remove salmon skin and bones
While the onion marinates, prepare the salmon. Start with removing the skin. In order to do that, place the fish, skin side down, on the cutting board, firmly hold one end of the fish and using a very sharp knife make a cut between the skin and the flesh. Try to go as close as possible to the skin and remove all of it.
Next, slide with your fingers on top of the fillet and check if there are any bones. If so, pull them slowly and steady with tweezers or your fingers. Before cutting it, wash it, tap dry and cut into bite-size pieces (around 1×1,5cm). Add the salmon to the marinated onions, gently stir and put in the fridge.
Last but not least, chop the cilantro and cut half an avocado into small cubes. Finally, combine all of the ingredients (except spinach) in a bowl, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, squeeze another lime on top (like that also the avocado stays nice and green) and gently stir.
Serve this simple fresh avocado salmon ceviche cold, on some spinach or lettuce leaves. I also added some radish slices on top, for an extra crunch. This can be a wonderful main dish served on a plate or an appetizer in a glass. It’s a healthy and delicious summer dish, you’ll make over and over again.
Enjoy!
PS
If you like the recipe, if you make the recipe or if you have any new ideas how to improve or change it, let me know in the comments section below or alternatively share your photos and reactions with me on Instagram (@Passionspoon), Facebook or Twitter (@PassionSpoon1). Simply use the hashtag #passionspoonrecipes in your posts. I would love to see them! (wink)
