Three Takes On: Ceviche

Shrimp Ceviche

Culinart at Cadwalader, Wickersham and Taft LLP (New York)

For Cinco de Mayo this year, the CulinArt team at this New York law firm wanted to put a Mexican spin on a classic ceviche, says Ryan Deutsch, executive chef for CulinArt. “I used tomatillos, cilantro, lime juice, lemon juice and some Corona beer to give it a little different flavor,” Deutsch says. “I also put some ketchup in there to give it a nice red color.” The dish was served in 2-ounce martini shooters, which Carlos Rivera, director of dining services with CulinArt, says were inspired by attending a workshop at the 2010 MenuDirections conference in Miami. “I’m still in touch with the chef at The Doral [who gave a presentation on catering at the conference],” Rivera says. “I was so excited by the shooters he showed us that day. These shooters have worked so well, especially when serving this amount of shrimp. People usually aren’t going to take more than one shooter.”

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Sea Bass Ceviche with Toasted Coriander and Coconut

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (New Brunswick, N.J.)

Chefs Robert Warren, Robert Higgins and Brian Petersen produced this recipe for a Rutgers University chemical & biochemical engineering event, and the results exceeded client and guest expectations, says Catering Manager Susan DiMaio. The chefs say the most appealing aspects of this recipe are the blend of colors from the fresh ingredients and the balance of flavors between the spicy jalapeño and the sweet coconut water. The chefs say customers were pleasantly surprised after discovering a new kind of ceviche that didn’t rely on overly acidic flavors. 

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Shrimp Ceviche Belizean Style

Murray State University (Murray, Ky.)

After gaining popularity during international student organization meals, this ceviche made its way to a new station in the dining hall, which offers a dip of the day. The dish is served with tri-color tortillas. Tim Bruce, department chef manager, says the actual recipe is pretty classic except for an increased amount of cucumber. The department also uses cooked shrimp to be extra safe in terms of food safety. “I think the cucumber adds a bit of freshness,” Bruce says. “The lime can be a little overpowering in a ceviche a lot of the time. The cucumber adds a light and crisp flavor.” 

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