Recipe of the week: Salmon belly ceviche with cornbread biscotti

While many people think of Spain when it comes to ceviche, the origin of the dish is actually Peru, where it is considered a national dish. The technique of chopping and mixing raw fish and meat in vinegar, citrus, and spices was brought to the Americas from Spain. This creative recipe turns ceviche on its head. Ceviche normally uses a firm to semi-firm white-fleshed fish like grouper, sole, or mackerel. This recipe instead utilizes the leftover trim or belly of fresh salmon. Not only is Salmon Belly perfect for this recipe, but it’s also a cut that can often be sourced at your local fish market for much less than premium cuts. Ceviche is a perfect dish for utilizing these leftover pieces. This recipe features avocado, lime, hints of mint and orange, and a kick of jalapeno. The secret to Ceviche is to let the lime marinate with the salmon for 45 minutes to an hour, allowing the acid from the citrus to “cook” the salmon. The fish gets tender while the flavors mix with each other. If you’re hosting a dinner party, it can be served as a light appetizer, topped on a salad for an extra punch of protein, or served on the cornbread biscotti that accompanies this recipe. Ingredients 1 lb salmon belly, salmon trim, or salmon fillet, cut into small cubes 1 medium red onion, diced 1 small red bell pepper, diced 2 jalapenos, seeded and diced ¼ cup fresh-squeezed orange juice ¾ cup fresh-squeezed lime juice ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped 3 tbsp. fresh mint, chopped 2 small Roma tomato, diced 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 to 1 ½ tbsp. Kosher salt to taste 1 tsp. black pepper Day-old cornbread Directions Chop or trim the salmon belly, onion, red pepper, and jalapenos into small cubes. This allows the flavors of the salmon and veggies to blend together. Combine the salmon, onion, red pepper, jalapenos, orange juice, and lime juice into a large mixing bowl, taking care to spread the juice evenly among the ingredients. This allows the flavors to be absorbed while the citrus juices “cook” the salmon. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator, allowing it to marinate for 45 minutes to an hour. Dice the cilantro, mint, and tomatoes, making sure to cut them small enough that their flavors are combined throughout the dish. Once the salmon belly, onion, red pepper, and jalapenos have been marinated, remove the bowl and add in the cilantro, mint, and tomatoes. Thoroughly mix all the ingredients together and add a splash of olive oil, salt, and black pepper to flavor. For the cornbread biscotti, simply cut day-old cornbread into rectangular pieces and toast them. Serve the ceviche in an oversized martini glass with a piece of the biscotti. Thank you to Chef Deborah VanTrece from Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours, Atlanta, GA, USA, for the recipe. If you have a recipe you would like to share with  A Luxury Travel Blog‘s readers, please contact us.