Mariana Velásquez's Pomelo Sea Bass Aguachile with Corn Tostadas
The food stylist and author shares a recipe from her new cookbook, "Revel: A Maximalist's Guide to Having People Over"
Call it ceviche, crudo, aguachile, or tartare . . . mastering a raw fish salad is crucial to all entertaining, period. It’s sophisticated, elegant, delicate, and pleases most. The key is to have a GREAT fresh seafood source—and, quite honestly, to live near the ocean. This recipe makes a big batch of leche de tigre (tiger’s milk). You’ll need one cup for the aguachile; for the rest, I highly recommend sipping it as a restorative tonic after a heavy meal.
—Mariana Velásquez
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Ingredients
Makes 6 to 8 servings
For the Leche de Tigre
2 cups fresh lime juice
2 cups fish stock or bottled clam juice 4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 large shallot, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 cilantro stems
3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
For the Aguachile
¼ cup grapefruit juice
¼ cup orange juice
1 jalapeño, seeded, deveined, and minced
1 sweet piquillo pepper, seeded and minced
1 white grapefruit, peeled, segmented, and cut into small pieces
1½ pounds sea bass, skin off, sliced into ¼-inch slices
For serving
½ cup mint leaves
¼ cup sliced chives, plus chive flowers for garnish
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus cilantro flowers for garnish
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Flaky sea salt
Corn tostadas, for serving
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Method
To make the leche de tigre, combine the lime juice, fish stock, garlic, shallot, salt, cilantro, and ginger in the bowl of a food processor; purée until smooth. Transfer to a nonreactive bowl and refrigerate until very cold, about 2 hours. The leche de tigre keeps in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days.
To prepare the aguachile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the chilled leche de tigre, grapefruit juice, orange juice, jalapeño, piquillo, and grapefruit slices. Add the fish and stir to submerge it. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes and up to 2 hours.
When ready to serve, place the aguachile in small bowls or on a platter and garnish with the herbs. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with flaky salt. Serve with the corn tostadas.
From Revel: A Maximalist’s Guide to Having People Over by Mariana Velásquez. Reprinted by permission of Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
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