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Published Friday, August 7, 2020
It is better living near the sea
It is always good to start my article thanking AM Costa Rica readers who take the time to write. Especially those who share their ideas and recipes with all of us. Like Scott Horsley, who shares his Ceviche Tico recipe.
He authorized me to comment that "his life has been better since he left everything behind in Platte County, Nebraska, to string over a new life in Tamarindo Beach" (Guanacaste Province.)
I very much agree with Scott when he says that his life has improved by living near the sea. I think many of us think the same as him.
For those who like to read in these long days of quarantine, here is the link to an article about the Blue Gym effect, which is something like the advantages for the health of living near the sea.
Ceviche Tico
By Scott Horsley
Tamarindo Beach
Here in Tamarindo Beach with the help of my new friends, I learned how to fish and cook the classic no-cook fish appetizer ceviche. It is a recipe for dummies like me.
The ingredients:
• 2 fish fillets, you can use corvina or tilapia
• 2 chopped red tomatoes
• 1 chopped red sweet chili
• 3 tablespoons chopped coriander (cilantro)
• 1/4 cup chopped white onion
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup lemon juice, it is better freshly squeezed
• A pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise
• Avocado
• Tortillas
Cut the fish fillet into small squares. In a glass bowl mix the fish with the lemon juice. The bowl must be glass. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours so that the lemon does its job and can "cook" the fish.
Then, add the tomato, onion, coriander, chili and mayonnaise. Mix. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Serve the ceviche over the tostada. Add some avocado slices and drink all the beer you can have.
Tropical Shrimp Brochettes
If you love seafood, this recipe is a must-do. You can make it in the kitchen or on the grill.
The ingredients that you will need to serve 4 large skewers are:
• 8 jumbo shrimp without head (you can prepare them with or without shells)
• 1 package of minced chicken sausages
• 1/2 cup pineapple, chopped into squares
• 1/2 red sweet pepper, chopped into squares
• 1/2 green sweet pepper, chopped into squares
• 1/4 white onion, chopped into squares
• 1/4 red onion, chopped into squares
• 1 stick of butter or 1/2 cup of olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Don't forget the brochettes sticks
A tip. If you use wooden brochettes sticks, before cooking you must soak them in water for 30 minutes, so the brochettes do not burn with the heat of the grill.
First, gently remove the shell from the shrimp. With a small knife or toothpick, remove the black vein on the back of the shrimp. I always cut the tail, but if you prefer you can cook it with the tail. Don't forget to wash the shrimp only with water.
Take a brochette and go through 1 square of sausage, 2 squares of white onion, two squares of red chili, one cube of pineapple, one shrimp, one square of pineapple, two squares of purple onion, two squares of green chili and close with a sausage.
Turn on the grill or oven on medium heat.
Another tip. The medium heat is when you can place your hand 15 centimeters over the heat of the grill and leave it for about 5 seconds without burning yourself.
Add the melted butter (or olive oil) to the skewers. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
Put the brochette on the grill or the oven (this is a very obvious step).
Cook for 2 minutes, gently rolling the brochette, until the shrimp turn pink in the center and golden on the outside.
Here’s another tip. If you are afraid that your shrimp may get burned, you can cook shrimp without removing the shell. This gives protection to the shrimp when it is cooked on the grill. It also gives the shrimp a lot of taste. But (there always has to be a but), the problem is that that way is a little more difficult to eat or remove the shell after cooking.
These so tasty Tropical Shrimp Brochettes make a wonderful match with white wine or cold beer.
Tropical salmon
Thanks to Karl Van Horn for coming up with the idea of making a fish sauce. If you make this easy recipe, you will be the king of the world.... or at least the king of the party!
To prepare this finger-licking delicious recipe you will need:
• 2 salmon fillets 100 grams each (or as close to the measurement as possible)
• 1 spoon of chili powder
• 1 spoon of garlic powder
• 1 spoon of salt
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1 cup peeled small squares jicama (or sweet orange)
• 1 cup peeled small squares mango
• 1/2 cup peeled seeded cucumber
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 1 chopped into squares red tomato
• 1/2 cup lemon acid juice
• 1 chopped spoon of coriander
• 1 avocado
• Salt and pepper
Here is another tip. Jicama is a globe-shaped root vegetable with papery, golden-brown skin and a starchy white interior. You can find it in vegetarian stores, Automercado or Walmart. If you can't find Jicama, don't worry, you can substitute with sweet orange.
First, let's make the sauce. Mix the chopped jicama (or sweet orange), mango, chopped tomato, red onion, and cucumber in a bowl. Add the lemon juice, coriander, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix and let stand for 5 minutes.
Then add the avocado into squares and mix. The avocado must be added at the end, so it does not change its color.
Keep in the fridge while you prepare the salmon.
Season the salmon fillets with a pinch of the garlic powder, salt and chili powder.
Add olive oil in a large frying pan. If you want to grill, you should grease it before cooking.
Salmon is always cooked over medium heat. Remember medium heat is when you can place your hand 15 centimeters over the heat of the grill and leave it for about 5 seconds without burning yourself.
When the salmon turns golden on one side, about 4 minutes, cook on the other side so that the color is the same on both sides. The total cooking time depends on the size of the salmon.
Add the sauce over Salmon. You can add a small cup of your favorite vegetables or white rice. Salmon's best friend is a very cold glass of sparkling wine.
How wonderful living in this tiny piece of paradise we call our Costa Rican home. No matter what province you live in, you can always get away to the coast within a couple of hours. Let's keep having a happy life near the sea.
Salud!
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Editor's note: Email your comments or inquiries to Melissa Pette at melissaamcr2017@gmail.com.
Share your recipes with AM Costa Rica readers. Send your homemade recipes with a photo of the dish to food@amcostarica.com. |
