Cruisin’ Ceviche

I lived on sailboats over a 20-year period, mostly in marinas or yacht clubs. Three years, though, were spent mostly at anchor in Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia—a lifestyle known as sailboat cruising. I’ve dubbed the cruising community “the world’s largest small village” because friendships span oceans and countries and because of the unconditional camaraderie and support built into the lifestyle.

Fishing was (not surprisingly) part of daily life, whether underway or at anchor. I was amused to find that the “fish catchers,” usually men, were invested in how the food they caught was prepared. It was not unusual to overhear a group of guys swapping fish recipes, and it made me laugh. Using up fresh fish was often a challenge. Grill it, put it in tacos, make a soup—even with all these dishes, there was often still fish left over. The solution: ceviche. Ceviche recipes were probably the most often swapped among the fishermen, and they were all delicious. This recipe was my “go to” whenever I needed to use up fresh fish. I made it in quart-size mason jars so that I could secure the lids before putting them into the chest refrigerator. It was great for all the potlucks that are part of the cruising life, or even for meals when it was just too hot to turn on the stove!

¡Buen provecho!