Savoring the Sea: Porgy Ceviche
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As the summer temps slip away and the crisp winds of the fall begin to permeate the Northeast, it’s time to celebrate the final, savory moments of the season with a dish that encapsulates the vibrant spirit of this summer into fall transition season – Porgy Ceviche.
Porgy, also known as Scaup, is a prolific saltwater fish found along the Atlantic coast. Typically, large numbers of porgy will move off the coastline starting in April, with the peak of the season around June. However, the opportunity to catch “jumbos” (porgies that generally weigh over 3 lbs or 16 inches) last well into the Fall. Retention limits for porgies are high (30/person/day in New York), they are strong and fun fighters, and most importantly, they make excellent table fare. In fact, the inspiration for this dish arrived when I learned that porgies belong to the beloved class of saltwater fish that possess no risk for parasitic infections. Given this and the fact that porgy flesh is mildly sweet, white and firm, sushi and ceviche have become staples anytime I have porgies. This variation of ceviche pulls from the Peruvian style of ceviche, as I love the zesty citrus, mildly sweet potato, savory hominy and fruity-pepper overtones from the Aji. Buckle up, this dish pays tribute to the sea’s bounty, the porgy, and is a great way to enjoy the last taste of summer with this coastal delight.
When fishing, ensure that you quickly kill, bleed and ice each fish you intend to keep. The end result of clean, white flaky meat will be perceptively better compared to not bleeding fish immediately.
Serves: 4
Time to Make: 30 minutes, 1 hour chilling time
Also Works With: Sea bream, tuna, pompano
Looking for more ceviche recipes? Why not try out this Bay Scallop Ceviche recipe by Adam Steele?
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Savoring the Sea: Porgy Ceviche Recipe
Course: Wild Recipes4
servings30
minutes1
hourKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
1 lb 1 fresh wild porgy fillets, skinless and boneless
1 1 ripe tomato, diced
1 large 1 red onion, finely chopped
2 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons 2 aji powder
1 clove 1 garlic, minced
1 cup 1 fresh cilantro, chopped
1 can 1 white hominy, drained
1 large 1 sweet potato, boiled and peeled
1 1 avocado, peeled and sliced
Juice of 6 limes
Juice of 2 lemons
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Corn tostadas for serving
Preparation
- Begin by ensuring your wild porgy fillets are filleted, skinned, and boneless. Cut porgy filets into 1-2 inch chunks. When fishing, ensure that you quickly kill, bleed and ice each fish you intend to keep. The end result of clean, white flaky meat will be perceptively better compared to not bleeding fish immediately.
- Dice the tomato, slice the red onion, seed and mince the jalapeño peppers, mince garlic, and chop the fresh cilantro. Juice the lemons and limes (mixing the juice) and refrigerate.
- In a non-reactive mixing bowl (glass or stainless steel), place the fresh porgy fillets. Pour ¾ of the freshly squeezed lime and lemon juice over the fillets, ensuring they are completely submerged. Add the sliced red onion to a separate bowl with the remaining lemon-lime juice. Cover the bowls with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until the fish turns opaque and firm and the red onions begin to turn pink and mildly pickle.
- Once your porgy and red onion have marinated, remove both from the citrus and drain any excess juice, saving about ½ a cup for later use. Transfer the fish and onion to a separate mixing bowl. Add the diced tomatoes, hominy, minced jalapeños, garlic and freshly chopped cilantro.
- Season your ceviche with 2 teaspoons aji powder, coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Place your porgy ceviche back in the refrigerator for another 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Rinse and boil the sweet potato until fork tender. Skin the potato, chunk into large 2-3 inch cubes. Peel and slice the avocado into thin, long slivers.
- To plate, drain excess juice, and set a generous portion of ceviche on top of a tostada. Garnish with avocado lined on top of ceviche and 2 to 3 chunks of sweet potato on the side. Tortilla chips also work as a great way to serve this dish.
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