Recipe by Ricardo Valverde courtesy of Vancouver Eats (Figure 1 Publishing). Ceviche is the traditional Peruvian dish of raw seafood that is lightly cured in a citrus-based marinade known as leche de tigre, or tiger’s milk. Prepare the marinade and yam ahead of time, then mix all the ingredients together at the last minute for a bright and fresh appetizer.

Photo courtesy of Suyo Modern Peruvian

Serves 4

Leche de tigre

• Juice of 6 to 8 limes

• 1 Tbsp finely grated celery (preferably with a Microplane)

• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

• 1 red jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped

• 1 clove garlic, finely grated

• 1/4 tsp finely grated ginger

Ceviche

• 1 yam, peeled and cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick rounds

• 1 red onion, thinly sliced

• 1 (1-lb) skinless halibut fillet, cut into ½-inch cubes

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra leaves for garnish

• Corn nuts, to serve

Method

In a non-reactive bowl, combine all the ingredients for the leche de tigre and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until needed. (This can be made the night before.)

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place yam in a greased baking dish and roast for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. (This can also be prepared the day before since it is served cold.)

Put onion in a colander and rinse under cold running water to crisp it up and reduce its bitterness, then drain. Set aside to dry for 10 minutes.

Transfer halibut to a clean bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Add leche de tigre, cilantro and reserved onion and mix well.

Serve immediately with corn nuts and roasted yams, and garnish with cilantro leaves. Do not drain the liquid—it’s the best part of the dish.

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