by Sean Christensen

From shore caught Papio to Mahi Mahi brought back from a boat trip, many of my friends called me over the summer looking for different ways to prepare their fresh catch. While baking, grilling, and steaming all work great, I often find myself suggesting they take advantage of how fresh and clean the fish are that we catch here in Hawaii and tell them about ceviche.

Ceviche is a seafood dish popular in the coastal regions of Latin America. The dish is typically made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices, such as lemon or lime. After the fish cures it can be seasoned and mixed with onion, tomato, avocado, tropical fruits, and fresh herbs. The variations are limitless and can be adjusted to suit your taste. One of my favorites is an island inspired version utilizing the local fruits here on Maui.

Ingredients
1 lb. Fresh Fish (diced)
½ c. Lime Juice
½ c. Onion (julienne)
½ c. Avocado (diced)
½ c. Papaya (diced)
½ c. Tomato (diced)
1 t. Serrano Chili (minced)
Salt (to taste)
Wonton Chips

Method
Marinate fish with lime juice for one hour. Drain off lime juice and add remaining ingredients and reserve chilled. Serve with wonton chips.

You can add one cup coconut milk to give the dish a rich creaminess and great coconut flavor.

Sean Christensen is the Executive Chef at Maui Country Club.