michelle picker cooks

Ceviche (cebiche, seviche) is a popular South American dish which hails from Peru. It is generally made by curing fresh raw fish in citrus juice and spices, but here is a delightful vegetarian version from The South American Table by Maria Baez Kijac. Serve it with tostadas (tortilla chips).

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Meanwhile clean 450g (1 lb) of button mushrooms and cut into quarters or wedges. When the water boils add 1 tablespoon of lime juice and add the mushrooms, cooking for only 30 seconds. Drain them in a colander and transfer them to a large nonreactive bowl. Add ½ a cup each of finely sliced celery and red onion and stir to combine. In a blender combine 4 cloves of garlic, ½ a teaspoon of salt, ¼ of a teaspoon of ground white pepper, ½ a teaspoon of hot sauce, ½ a teaspoon of dried oregano and 1 tablespoon of good olive oil. Add a scant ¾ of a cup of lime juice and blend to a smooth sauce. Add the sauce to the mushrooms and adjust salt or hot sauce to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to a day. When you’re ready to serve add 1 finely sliced jalapeño and an equal amount of finely sliced red pepper.