Raw and Rare: Delicious raw, lightly cured and seared dishes - from sashimi and ceviche to carpaccio and tartare

Venus de cebiche

Serves 4

In Nicaragua, ceviche is as popular as it is in any South American country, whether eaten in the capital’s smartest restaurants, or bought from a customised tricycle on the quayside of San Juan del Sur on the Pacific coast. We were there for the festival of seafood – Fiera de productos pesqueres – when I met Venus, dicing fish, cutting shrimp, chopping onions and squeezing limes. She was a vivacious and voluptuous young woman in a close-fitting dress, with glorious thick curls restrained by a hand-tied tiara of turquoise flowers. We tasted as she added chilli to the mix, a little at a time. Job done, she filled stacks of paper cups for the waiting crowd. Here’s her recipe.

Directions

Cut the white fish into bite-sized pieces.

Shell and devein the prawns. (If you prefer to cook them first, drop into simmering salted water for 60 seconds or until just pink, drop into iced water to cool, then pat dry on a clean towel.)

Cut both fish and prawns into small pieces.

Put the fish and prawns into a bowl, add the measured salt and stir once. Then add the onion, celery and coriander, mix, then stir in the lime juice and a little of the chilli. Taste, see how hot it is and – if you like – mix in some more chilli. Serve at once.

Ingredients