There are many, many ways of cooking food; baking, grilling, hot smoking, broiling, boiling, braising, searing, frying, sauteing, and so on and so on. Whatever method you choose heat is a constant, and heat can be transferred directly or though a liquid medium. There are two other methods of “cooking” that I can think of; cold smoking and acid cooking. I used quotes around cooking as neither method truly cooks the food. Cold smoking is a process of salt and sugar curing meat then smoking for a long period of time (12+ hours) resulting in preserved meat that is free from bacteria and parasites and safe for consumption.
The other method is the subject of this post, cooking with citric acid. Technically this is not cooking, but the citric acid does break down the proteins in the meat, softening them and resulting in a texture that is very similar to cooking but in actuality is much closer to marinating it for a long time. This method is very popular in the Peruvian dish ceviche, and is typically seafood based. The framework for ceviche is simple and offers ample opportunity for creativity.
Cevichi FRAMEWORK
Seafood:
The choice of seafood is very important. Freshwater fish may contain parasites that are not killed by citric acid where saltwater seafood does not contain these parasites. According to FDA guidelines, freshwater seafood, it must be frozen at 0º F (-18º C) for a period of 7 days. Most frozen seafood you get at your local market meets this precaution, or you can do it yourself if you have a commercial type freezer capable of this sustained temperature. Whichever seafood you choose, make sure you cut them into even sized pieces for even “cooking”.
Vegetables:
Choices here are endless. Common ingredients include Sweet and Hot peppers, green and cherry tomatoes, onions, shallots, celery,
Marinade:
Orange, lime and lemon juices with herbs, salt and pepper.
I now present my favorite application, Bay scallop cevichi.
Bay Scallop Cevich
1 lb bay scallops
1 cup orange Juice
1/3 – 1/2 cup lime juice
Lime Zest.
2 jalapeno peppers, finely diced
1 small red onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, finely diced
1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
2 green tomatoes, diced
1 to 1½ cup cilantro
Salt and Pepper
Mix all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl (I use glass) and allow to marinate for at least 6 hours. You can cut open a scallop and make sure it is no longer opaque in the center.
Extemporary Eats 