Ceviches and tiraditos: six options for cooking without lighting the fire

There are those who confuse them, but between ceviche and tiradito there are several differences. It is true that they have their similarities: both come from the Peruvian gastronomic tradition and are made mainly from raw fish meat. But these are preparations that are made differently, starting with the way the meat is cut – into cubes for the ceviche, into thin slices for the tiradito – and the ingredients that accompany it. In the first, for example, the onion is the protagonist, while in the second it does not even appear.

Either way, both dishes are ideal for those hot weeks. Always fresh and cold, they are nutritious and very low in calories, and to cook them you hardly need to cook: almost no ovens or burners to light. With a good knife and quality products, you’re done. Here are six quick, sure-fire recipes for weathering the holidays and starting the year off with some sea flavor.

After about twenty-five years, this fish has gone from being a novelty for the Chilean consumer to being a workhorse of seafood cuisine. Indeed, it would not be risky to say that 99% of the times a menu with “catch of the day” is offered to us, it corresponds to a pippin. And even worse, in many Peruvian restaurants they only work with Reineta.

As it is, the pippin has us several above the parachute. However, it must be recognized that this fish has a consistent and tasty white flesh, with very few bones, and that it is at a reasonable price on the market. That’s why it’s obvious that it’s everywhere and that it’s consumed a lot, even if the best way to go — in my opinion — is in the form of ceviche. The recipe for two people is below.

Pippin ceviche

—½ kilo of clean, boneless pippin fillet

—½ red onion

—½ red bell pepper

—2 subtle lemons

—Salt and finely chopped fresh cilantro

Cut the pippin into small cubes and put them in a bowl. Peel the onion, cut it into feathers and add it to the same container. Open the rocoto pepper, clean it of its seeds and veins, cut it into large strips and add it to the bowl. Also add a little chopped coriander and season with salt and the juice of two lemons. Mix everything well and serve immediately.

If pippin alone is too simple for you, you can supplement it with other previously cooked and already cold products. It can be about 200 grams of octopus and 200 grams of shelled prawns, both cooked, which must be added to the same mixture above and before serving the ceviche. Now, yes, the juice of three lemons will be needed. The rest, all the same. It is so simple and so rich.

A ceviche may contain no fish and may, as in this case, consist exclusively of clams. Here is the recipe for two people.

Clam ceviche

—20 shelled and cleaned clams

—½ green pepper

—1 red onion

—4 subtle lemons

—Salt, freshly chopped coriander and olive oil

Cut the clams into long strips and put them in a pot of boiling water for two minutes. Cut your cooking in cold water then let it drain in a colander at room temperature. Meanwhile, peel the purple onion, cut into feathers and set aside. Also cut the chilli lengthwise, clean the seeds and veins and chop coarsely. Finally, put the clams, onion, chilli and cilantro in a bowl. Season with salt, a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice. Stir well and serve.

This fish with oily flesh, but very firm and with a mild taste, is brought from the north, mainly during these hot months. It tastes so good that it is a shame to overcook it and lose its properties. Therefore, eating it raw will always be a great option. For example, mixed with grapefruit in a two-person tiradito.

Pomelo and grapefruit tiradito

—½ kilo of clean pomfret fillet

—2 grapefruits

—2 tablespoons of soy sauce

—1 tablespoon of olive oil

Cut the pomfret into very thin slices, like a sashimi, and place them one by one on a large plate. Next, peel one of the grapefruits, cut it in half then cut very thin quarters, which will each go on top of one of the pieces of fish. In a bowl, mix the soybeans with the olive oil and the juice of half a grapefruit. Stir well then bathe the tiradito with this sauce. Serve immediately.

The croaker is another ideal fish to eat raw, as it has firm but at the same time soft flesh, with an exquisite flavor. For the same reason, it’s worth venturing out with a fresh tiradito, like this one for two.

Sea bass and avocado tiradito

—½ kilo of clean, boneless sea bass fillet

—1 large ripe avocado

—2 stalks of celery

—3 subtle lemons

—Salt, rice vinegar and olive oil

Cut the sea bass into thin slices, like sashimi – no more than 5mm thick – and arrange them on a large plate. Next, peel and grind the avocado and cut the celery into cubes as small as possible. Mix the two in a bowl and season with salt, olive oil and lemon juice. Stir well and brush each sheet of fish with this mixture. At the end, drizzle the top with rice vinegar and serve immediately.

When it comes to eating fish, there are people who can’t avoid salmon. So, instead of opting for a salmon ceviche—which usually doesn’t turn out well—better try this super simple and very classic tiradito, which is enough for two people.

salmon tiradito

—½ kilo of salmon fillet

—½ cup soy sauce

—1 tablespoon sesame oil

-Sesame seeds

Cut the salmon into thin slices – about 5mm thick – and arrange them on a large plate. On top, sprinkle some sesame seeds and set aside. In a container, mix the soy sauce with the sesame oil, mix well and pour over the salmon. Serve immediately.

*Prices for products in this item are updated as of January 3, 2023. Values ​​and availability are subject to change.