Thinly Sliced Conch Marinated Peruvian-Style, with Dried Sweet Corn
Traditionally, the seafood in a ceviche is marinated in citrus for at least an hour, but I’ve always found this makes the fish dry and tasteless. Instead, we make our ceviches à la minute to maintain the identity of the fish; it’s more tender and delicate this way. We serve this dish in a shell bowl at the restaurant, but you can use soup plates or small bowls.
Yield : Serves 4
Ingredients
The Conch Juice
- 3 ounces conch trimmings (from the conch used below), cut into small pieces
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 small red onion, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, including stems
- Fine sea salt
- Espelette pepper powder
The Conch
- 8 ounces cleaned conch (trimmings used in conch juice)
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
The Marinade
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons lemon oil
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons red onion julienne
- 1 tablespoon finely diced tomato
- 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno
- 2 tablespoons cilantro julienne
- 2 teaspoons mint julienne
- 2 teaspoons basil julienne
- Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
- Espelette pepper powder to taste
The Garnish
- 4 teaspoons fresh corn kernels
- 4 teaspoons freeze-dried corn kernels
- 12 micro cilantro sprouts
- Espelette pepper powder
Directions
For the conch juice, combine all of the ingredients in a small stainless steel bowl. Cover and let macerate for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Strain the juice through a fine-mesh sieve. Refrigerate until cold, or until ready to use.
Meanwhile, tenderize the conch by pounding it with a stainless steel mallet. Cut into 1-inch squares. Arrange the conch pieces in one layer on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the marinade, combine the conch juice with all the marinade ingredients in a bowl.
When ready to serve, season the conch with salt and white pepper. Add the conch to the marinade, stirring to coat, and marinate for 2 minutes.
To serve, divide the conch among four small bowls, stacking the pieces so they have some height. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the marinade over each serving. Sprinkle the fresh corn over the ceviche, garnish with the freeze-dried corn and micro cilantro sprouts, and sprinkle with Espelette pepper. Serve immediately.
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