Snapper Ceviche With Elderflower-Infused Pomelo and Thai Chilies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs. fresh whole fish
- Sea salt, to taste (not iodized)
- Pepper blend, to taste (red, green, white, and black)
- 4 Tbsp. St. Germain liqueur, divided
- 4 limes, juiced
- 4 Meyer lemons, juiced
- 2 oranges, juiced with juice divided
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 3 small cucumbers
- 1-2 Thai chilies
- 1 bunch coriander or cilantro, stems removed and roughly chopped
- 1 bunch green onion, finely chopped and divided
- ¼ cup sugar + 1 pinch, divided
- 1 pomelo
- 1 avocado, cut in half and pit removed
- ¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
For the fish preparation:
- Fillet and skin the fish, making sure to remove all the bones.
- Cross-cut the fillets with ¼-inch cuts and then dice into approximately ½-inch chunks. If you are using shrimp, make sure to shell, devein, and cut into ½-inch pieces.
- Place cut chunks of fish in a glass bowl (never use metal, as it can impart a metal flavor onto the food).
- Add salt and pepper blend to the fish, and then add 1 Tbsp. of St. Germain.
- Cover fish with juice from the limes, lemons, and ½ the orange.
- Add shallot and garlic to fish.
- Stir fish until covered with juices and it begins to turn white.
- Cover and set fish and juices (also known as tiger’s milk) in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
For the vegetable preparation:
- Peel the cucumbers. Slice them lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and then slice into ¼-inch pieces.
- Slice the Thai chilies lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and slice as thinly as possible.
- Add cucumbers, chilies, coriander, and half of the green onions to a bowl and toss to combine.
For the infused pomelo:
- In a small saucepan, bring ¼ cup sugar and ¼ cup water to boil and stir to combine, making a simple syrup.
- Meanwhile, remove the rind from the pomelo and cut meat wedges from the fruit, removing even the segments of the skin. Cut pomelo pieces into smaller ½-inch by ½-inch pieces.
- Once the simple syrup is finished, remove from heat, add pomelo pieces and 2 Tbsp. of St. Germain, and let the mixture cool.
- Once completely cooled, using a slotted spoon, add the pomelo pieces to the bowl of vegetables, making sure to reserve the syrup.
For the avocado drizzle:
- Add the avocado to a food processor, and top with the juice from the remaining ½ orange.
- Add a pinch of salt and sugar, along with 1 Tbsp. of St. Germain.
- Blend with the food processor, and slowly add in olive oil until smooth and creamy.
For assembly:
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the fish from the tiger’s milk and add to the bowl with the vegetables.
- Pour tiger’s milk over everything until the mixture is covered and wet.
- Place in a serving bowl or use martini glasses for individual servings.
- Garnish with additional green onion and optional coriander and/or chilies. Add a generous amount of avocado drizzle to the top, and serve with crostini or tortilla chips.