GREEN HERB CEVICHE WITH CUCUMBER BY JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION (RICK BAYLESS)

Green Herb Ceviche with Cucumber by James Beard Foundation (Rick Bayless) image

Number Of Ingredients 12

1/2 head Garlic (broken apart)
2 or 3 Serrano Chiles
1 bunch Cilantro (the bottom stems cut off, 1 packed cup)
1 bunch Parsley (the bottom stems cut off, 1 cup packed)
1/2 cup Olive Oil
Desired Taste pinch Salt
1/4 cup Fresh Lime Juice (more if needed)
1.5 pounds Alaskan Halibut (sashimi-quality skinless, boneless fish fillets)
7 ounces Persian Cucumber (cut in 1/2 inch cubes)
1 pinch Salt (if needed to ceviche)
2 Avocados (cut in cubes)
1 handful Pepitos (to taste as garnish)

Steps:

To make the herb seasoning 1. Set a dry skillet over medium heat.
2. Lay in the unpeeled garlic cloves and chiles. Roast, turning frequently, until they are soft and blotchy brown in spots, about 10 minutes for the chiles and 15 minutes for the garlic. Cool until easy to handle, and then slip the skins off the garlic, pull the stems off the chiles, and roughly chop (no need to remove the seeds).
3. Put them in a food processor along with the cilantro, parsley, oil, and two generous teaspoons salt. Process until nearly smooth (it will be pasty). Scrape the mixture into a storage container and refrigerate until serving time.
To make the ceviche 1. In a large bowl, whisk together the lime juice and 1/2 cup of the herb seasoning. (Cover and refrigerate the remainder for another preparation.)
2. Add the fish and cucumber, and stir to combine.
3. To blend the flavors, cover and refrigerate for 1/2 hour (for best results, no more than one hour). Taste and season with a little more lime juice or salt if needed, then gently stir in the avocado (save a little for garnish if you want). Serve on plates or in martini glasses lined with lettuce leaves.