Offers in this blog post are expired

A World of Ceviche

What better dish than ceviche that highlights fresh seafood and vibrant summer colors and flavors. Tangy. Crunchy. Crispy. Ceviches are versatile and can be created with a variety of different vegetables and seafood. Gobble up a combo of fresh crab, shrimp, and lobster with hearts of palm in a lime tomato sauce this summer at Catch 35, your seafood and premium steak destination in Chicago and Naperville.

Originated from areas in South America, ceviche has become a North American staple during the summer months. Ancient civilizations from South America used fermented juice and marinated fish, and with the addition of Spanish colonization came the use of citrus fruits like lime. The well-balanced ceviche that we enjoy nowadays came from influences of the sea, land, and people that came to the Americas over hundreds if not thousands of years ago.

Ceviche is typically made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices, such as lemon or lime, and spiced with chili peppers. Additional seasonings vary by region such as onion, cilantro, hearts of palm, avocado, sweet potato, corn, or plantain. Most Latin American countries have given ceviche its own touch by adding their own garnishes or using certain citrus fruits.

  1. Peruvian ceviche uses chunks of raw fish, marinated in key lime or bitter orange juice, with sliced onions, chili peppers, salt and pepper.
  2. Ecuadorian ceviche is usually a shrimp ceviche made with tomato sauce served with thinly sliced plantain chips.
  3. Chilean ceviche is often made with halibut and marinated in lime and grapefruit juice, with minced garlic, chili peppers, fresh mint, and cilantro
  4. In Mexico, ceviche is served with tostadas or salted crackers and consists of a shrimp, octopus, squid, tuna, and mackerel with a marinade of salt, lime, onion, chili pepper, avocado, and cilantro.
  5. In El Salvador and Nicaragua, ceviche is made with the black clam with lime juice, onion, mint, salt, pepper, tomato, Worcester sauce, and hot sauce.
  6. Panamanian ceviche is a delicate combination of lemon juice, chopped onion, celery, habanero pepper, and sea salt with white sea bass, octopus, shrimp, or squid and is served in little pastry shells.
  7. Cuban ceviche is made with mahi-mahi, lime juice, salt, onion, green pepper, habanero, and allspice.

The science behind ceviche is that the citric acid from lemons and limes cause the proteins in the seafood to become denatured, appearing to be cooked. Traditional-style ceviches were marinated for about three hours. Modern-style ceviche, usually have a very short marinating period. With the appropriate fish, it can marinated in the time it takes to mix the ingredients, serve, and carry the dish to the table.

Sip on a cold American craft beer at Catch 35 located in Chicago’s theater district or downtown Naperville and dip freshly fried tortilla chips in a glass filled with fresh and delectable summer ceviche. See you soon!