Leche de Tigre

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Chill 2 small glasses or bowls. Slice the fish into small cubes; reserve about one quarter of it for texture and place the rest in a blender. Thinly slice the red onion and, if you prefer a milder bite, rinse it briefly under cold water and drain well.

2. 2

   Add the lime juice, cold fish stock or cold water, celery, garlic, ginger, cilantro, sliced chili, salt, and the larger portion of the fish to the blender. Blend for 20-30 seconds until very smooth and pale. Do not overblend for too long, or the mixture can become slightly bitter from the citrus and herbs.

3. 3

   Strain the blended mixture through a fine sieve into a cold bowl, pressing firmly to extract as much liquid as possible. Stir in the reserved fish cubes and let them sit in the liquid for 5 minutes; they should turn slightly opaque on the outside while staying tender.

4. 4

   Add the ice cubes and stir for 15-20 seconds to chill the leche de tigre quickly without watering it down too much, then remove the ice. Taste and adjust with a pinch more salt if needed; it should be bright, spicy, and sharply citrusy.

5. 5

   Divide the leche de tigre between the chilled glasses or bowls. Top with the sliced red onion and a little extra cilantro, then serve immediately while very cold.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •Use sashimi-grade or extremely fresh fish from a trusted source, since this dish is served effectively raw.
• •Sea bass, snapper, corvina, or halibut work especially well because their clean flavor stands up to the lime.
• •For a slightly creamier, more classic restaurant-style version, blend in 1-2 tablespoons of the sliced onion, but keep the rest fresh for garnish.
• •If serving as a starter rather than a shooter, add a few cubes of cooked sweet potato or cancha on the side, though that will increase carbs.

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