This bright, citrusy ceviche has been on the menu at Damian’s in downtown Los Angeles’s Arts District since the restaurant opened, but the fish and vegetables that accompany it change with the season. Chef de cuisine Chuy Cervantes uses whatever is available at the market—“what is in season, what is beautiful,” he says—to mix with local fish and citrus juice. This summer version features Baja California kanpachi and fresh market produce: Persian cucumber, sungold tomatoes, avocado, baby celery. The ceviche is seasoned with lime juice, white soy sauce, and fresh ginger.
For fish, “you want to use a milder white-fleshed fish,” Cervantes says, “not necessarily as mild, but something that can handle the vegetables but still fall apart a bit in the citrus juice, allowing it to soften enough to be enjoyed on toast and with other vegetables on the plate.”
Note: White soy sauce is available at select Japanese markets and online.
Watch the video below, part of our “Chef That!” series, to see how Cervantes prepares ceviche.
