Ceviche Mexicana

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This is a basic Mexican version of ceviche that is easily varied with the addition of fruits and vegetables that are in season. I like to add diced avocado, or jicama, or even cucumbers to add not only different flavors but also textures to the ceviche. By adding tomato juice and pulp to the recipe and serving in a large parfait glass, you transform the ceviche into the very popular, seafood cockteles found all over Mexico.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound firm white fish, such as snapper, pompano, flounder, or bass, cut into 3/4 to 1-inch cubes

  • Juice of 8 Mexican limes or Key limes

  • 2 jalapeño chiles, stems and seeds removed, finely chopped or substitute serrano chiles

  • 1 medium tomato, chopped

  • ½ medium onion, finely chopped

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Garnish: Lime wedges

Instructions

Place the fish and chiles in a nonreactive bowl, add the lime juice and toss to coat the fish. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours, turning occasionally until the fish loses its translucency and turns opaque.
 

Just before serving add the tomato, onion, and half of the cilantro, then gently toss to mix. Season with salt and pepper. Put the ceviche in tall parfait glasses, garnish with the remaining cilantro, place a lime wedge on the rim of the glass and serve.

 

Piri Piri Sauce

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Cuvée Executive Chef Dean Brunner notes: “It consists of habaneros (and a few other seriously hot donations from local fans), plus jalapeños. We like the burn to have great spirit but also be well balanced.” He suggests marinating the shrimp in the sauce for at least an hour before grilling them.

Ingredients

  • 1 red bell bepper, seeds and stems removed, coarsely chopped

  • 1 yellow bell pepper, seeds and stems removed, coarsely chopped

  • 4 jalapeno chiles, seeds and stems removed, coarsely chopped

  • 4 mirasol chiles, seeds and stems removed, coarsely chopped

  • 4 habanero chiles, seeds and stems removed, coarsely chopped

  • 2 rocotillo chiles, seeds and stems removed, coarsely chopped (or substitute serranos)

  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

  • 1 cup white wine vinegar

  • ¼ cup olive oil

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine all ingredients except the oil in a blender or food processor. Pulse blend until somewhat smooth. Pour into a jar and mix in the oil and salt and pepper. Note that chiles vary with seasonal availability.

Cuvee Piri-Piri Sorbet

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This is the sweet heat dessert that perfectly finished the shrimp dish at Cuvée. Chef Dean says that you can use lemon, lime, or grapefruit, juice, or a combination. I’ll bet you could use orange juice if you wished.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups citrus juice

  • 2 ¼ cups simple syrup (thickened sugar water)

  • 1/3 cup Piri-Piri Sauce

Instructions

Combine all and freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions.

Pork Steak in Lambrequin for Two

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This recipe is from meat mistress Bojana Mirkovic, overall champion at the Leskovac Barbecue Festival. This was one of her winning meals. Lambrequin is lamb peritoneum, or stomach lining, used to wrap steak, pljeskavica, or liver before grilling it. It gives the meat an extraordinary flavor. Ask your butcher for it and hope that he doesn’t laugh at you!

Ingredients

  • 4 pork steaks, 4 ounces each

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 clove garlic, crushed

  • 4½ ounces bacon

  • 4½ ounces your favorite cheese

  • 4½ ounces chopped mushrooms

  • 4 medium pieces lambrequin (there is no real substitute, but you could use aluminum foil)

Instructions

Pound each steak until thin. Add pepper, salt, and garlic to the pounded. Cut the bacon and cheese into narrow strips and place them on the meat. Sprinkle the mushroom over the meat. Fold up each piece of meat and wrap it in the lambrequin. Grill the meat over a hot flame for about 5 minutes per side. Serve on warm plates.

Chimayo Chile Marinated Pork Loin

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Here, as best I could reconstruct it, is the chile encrusted pork loin as served at De La Tierra. It is served with a “Barbecue Demi Glace” but they forgot to give me the recipe. So just make a gravy with the pan drippings and add some sherry and a little of your favorite barbecue sauce. Note that this recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons roasted garlic paste

  • ½ cup Chimayó red chile powder

  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

  • 1 pork roast, rib end of loin, 3 to 4 pounds

Instructions

In a bowl, combine the garlic paste, chile powder, cinnamon, salt and pepper and vegetable oil and combine to make a paste. Slather the past over the roast and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours. Roast the pork, uncovered, in a 350 degree F. oven for 30 minutes a pound or until the internal temperature reaches 185 degrees F. Slice the ribs apart and cut the meat away from the bones. Serve with the demi glace gravy and accompanied by the Sweet Potato Hash.