Seviche for Kim's Birthday

Kim turned 50 yesterday. She and Jake had been 2 of my primary food muses for the last several years. They went to Argentina for 6 months and came back divorced. Yesterday's gathering to celebrate her birthday was sweet, but I can still feel the mourning for the way it was.

Thank you to What a Deal Seafood, the tomato girl, and B.D for the ingredients.

This made enough Seviche as an appetizer for a group of about 30.

1. The freshest Fish you can get.
I used:
a shy pound of Bay Scallops
a shy pound of Escolar
a shy pound of Shrimps

2. Cut Fish up into 1/4 inch pieces.
Put in Bowl and Squeeze enough Lime Juice to cover.
(The limes I got were really dry and I ended up using 35!)

3. Put the Lime soaking Fish in the Fridge and allow to sit until "cooked". I let the fish sit for 3 hours. If you are used to sushi and trust your fish source, you do not need to let it sit for so long. Since I was bringing this to a party, i leaned on the side of caution. If you are squeamish about it, let it sit up to 6 hours.

4. While fish is "cooking," make the tortilla chips. Cut up store bought flour tortillas into triangular chip shapes. Spread them out and allow them to dry for about 30 minutes. (Make too many chips). In your favorite frying pan, heat about 1/4 inch of oil to hot. You will fry the
tortilla pieces in batches, being attentive to not crowding the pan. Because the top side will be cooking simultaneously, once you flip the chips over (being mindful with the hot oil), they will not need to be fried as long on the second side. Drain on a paper towel and sprinkle some good quality salt on them while they are still hot.

5. While the fish is "cooking," make the salsa. Cut up 4 delicious ripe tomatoes into a dice that looks attractive with your fish and put in a bowl.

6. Mince up 3 Serranos and add to the tomatoes. I only left the seeds in one of them for a little kick, but not too much since it was for a party.

7. Mince up some cilantro, maybe about 3tbl., and add to tomato mixture.

8. Mince up 1/2 a big white onion. To reduce the "onion-i-ness" you can put the onion in cold water and put in the fridge until ready to use, or you can simply put in a strainer and rinse with cold water. Reducing the "onion" helps keep it from overpowering the rest of the flavor. Do not mix the onion into the tomatoes until you are ready to serve.

9. Once fish is done, drain the lime juice and press fish gently against the strainer to remove as much lime juice as you can. Toss the onions into the tomatoes and then gently toss in the fish. Add lots of salt and taste. Yesterday, by community vote, we decided to not add the avocado. The prevailing thought was that it would mellow the flavors too much.

10. I put it into a pretty blue bowl and stuck some of the chips around the sides. I served it with the bowl of chips next to it.