Cook your fish without heat, says fishmonger

THIS week I thought I would talk about a different method of cooking fish.

We all know the traditional ways to cook fish, such as pan frying, steaming, grilling, poaching and baking.

But how about cooking fish without using heat? Seems weird, doesn’t it?

However, there is a way in which this can be done; it’s called ceviche.

This method is believed to have originated in Peru or Ecuador around the times of the Incas.

It involved the use of citrus, such as lemons or limes, where it was discovered that the acid from the fruit actually cooked the fish if left to soak for a few hours.

Now this method is widely used throughout Europe and especially in high quality restaurants.

The use of the freshest fish is imperative.

On my recent trip to France I had ceviche herring as a starter and found it utterly delightful; the taste was delicate and fresh, and was accompanied by a simple dressing which didn’t overpower the freshness of the herring.

It was a light dish, the herring fillets were firm and the flavours danced around my mouth and left me with a huge smile on my face (and this can be a little difficult these days as I am becoming a food critic wherever I eat).

Many fish can be used for ceviche; good examples are scallops, herrings, sea bass fillets, tuna, swordfish and mackerel fillets, to name but a few.

The method is simply to prepare the fillets, so ideally they are boneless and skinned.

Then marinate them in lemon or lime juice, cover with cling film and place in the fridge for several hours.

Finely sliced onion and chopped herbs, such as dill or tarragon, can be used to enhance the flavour.

To make the dressing use very thin oil such as sunflower or rapeseed and add a little red or white wine vinegar, a dash of Dijon mustard, seasoning, and some skinned and diced cucumber and lightly dress the fillets so as not to overpower them.

Serve them as a starter or as a light snack.

They are also ideal to prepare in advance for a dinner party.