The term “ceviche” first appeared in writing in an 1820 Peruvian song. I have always assumed the term came originally from Spanish but the more I researched, the more I found the word “ceviche” and the origins of this dish are shrouded in mystery. It’s possible the word came from Arabic. It’s also possible the South American practice of “cooking” fish in citrus juice (actually, it is the proteins being “denatured,” or broken down by acids) is far older than the popular word we use for it today. Whatever the case is, the dish continues to evolve and find new enthusiasts.
As a pickled foods lover, I’m no exception! And so was born my Georgia Peace Ceviche! I tried to come up with a fun word like Peach-Viche. Anyone approve? I don’t think so. Ce-Peach-Ay? Lol. I really don’t think so.
As mentioned, ceviche is fish or seafood denatured in acids like lemon or lime juice. The acidity in the orange juice isn’t quite enough to do the job on its own, but the flavor is there to bring in the sweetness and brightness this dish is capable of. Especially when we’re on a peach ceviche kick!
This recipe stems from growing up here in the Peach State of Georgia. I love peaches (and nectarines, a good substitute), and often add it to other recipes like salsa, grilled peach / Vidalia onion hot sauce, pickled peaches, and even peach kimchi (blended into peach kimchi hot sauce).
Today I am going to show you my peach ceviche!
I recommend using only the freshest shrimp possible. For the featured photos, I used the frozen Wild Blue Shrimp delivered to me from Fulton Fish Market. It is the ONLY Fair Trade Certified shrimp in the world. After catch, they are deveined by hand and frozen immediately, so I can rest assured my ceviche is going to be both safe and delicious. Fulton and I have partnered up to give you 15% off your first order when you create an account (no subscriptions ever required), using the code INSANE15.
For Insane in the Brine Followers! Get 15% OFF with code INSANE15 at FultonFishMarket.com!
If you aren’t sure if your raw shrimp is suitable for ceviche, it is recommended to cook it first; details provided below.
Serves:
6-8 as a side or appetizer (serving suggestion: with tortilla chips or in soft tacos)
Just halve the ingredients for a smaller get together.
You will need:
- Paper towels
- Knife & cutting board
- Citrus juice press (recommended)
- Small, medium and large mixing bowls
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Kitchen gloves (recommended for handling hot pepper)
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. very fresh or continuously frozen shrimp; peeled & deveined, cut into 1/3″ – 1/2″ pieces (if unsure if appropriately fresh for ceviche, it is recommended to boil the shrimp first; times given below in the notes section)
- 1/3 cup lemon juice (~2-3 lemons)
- 1/3 cup lime juice (~3-4 limes)
- 1/2 cup orange juice (fresh squeezed recommended)
- 3 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 red pepper, diced
- 1 large firm peach, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup or more cilantro, well chopped (sub flatleaf parsley as preferred)
- 1/4 cup red onion, petite diced
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded & diced
- 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 tsp pepper (or to taste)
- 1-3 jalapenos (optional), seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped
Directions:
1.) Thaw the shrimp overnight in the fridge and dry completely with paper towels. If using raw shrimp, cut into 1/2″ pieces or according to personal preference. If boiling the shrimp, do not cut until after they have cooked and cooled.
2.) Squeeze the fresh citrus juices into a small bowl. In the medium bowl, add the shrimp and a half cup of the citrus juice. Mix, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. After around 10-15 minutes, you may mix the shrimp well again just to make sure everything pickles uniformly. Marinate the shrimp for a total of 20-30 minutes.
3.) While the shrimp marinates, you may prep the other ingredients. Place them in the large mixing bowl.
4.) When ready, add the shrimp, along with its citrus juice to the large bowl. Add the salt and pepper and mix . Then add the remaining citrus juice and allow to marinate for about ten more minutes (or up to four hours) before eating.
Notes
- Serving suggestion: with tortilla chips
- Some say ceviche is best eaten within 4 hours or at least the same day, as the shrimp can get tough. Actually, I rather enjoy it the next day and think the level of pickling is perfect. It is a personal preference. However, ceviche with raw shrimp after 24 hours isn’t recommended for spoilage reasons.
- You may add or omit various ingredients according to your needs. For example, cucumber is not customary in all ceviche. I usually add one jalapeno, but alternately someone could use more or less, or sub with chili flakes, or even use a much hotter pepper, etc.
- For overnight storage, place in glassware with lid on. If stored in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap.
- Boiling the shrimp: If boiling the shrimp, do not overcook. Bring a medium saucepan full of water to boil with 2 tsp salt. Once rapidly boiling, remove from heat and quickly add the shrimp, cover, and allow to sit for about 9-10 minutes for jumbo / extra-large shrimp. For smaller shrimp, such as medium, 7-8 minutes will suffice. Strain and allow to cool in the refrigerator for a couple hours. Some prefer to actively boil the shrimp over medium-high heat (usually between 2-4 minutes, until pink and opaque). This is another good approach but be careful not to overcook, and you should shock with ice water after to halt further cooking.
Bonus hot sauce add-on recipe:
Take a 1/2 cup of a pilsner style lager like Modelo Especial and place in a blender with 3-10 chile de arbol depending on heat preference. Add the juice of half a lime. Blend on high for 30 seconds. Spoon a bit on the ceviche-topped tortilla chips. A little goes a long way.
