Recipe from episode 3

Hugh’s ceviche with rhubarb and radishes

This is a classic Latin American dish, where fish is marinated in citrus juice. The acid in the juice changes the chemical structure of the fish in a similar way to cooking it, so the texture and flavour cease to be raw but there's still a lovely freshness on the palate. It's crucial that you start with spankingly fresh fish and as the seasons unfold, the addition of other garden finds (like rhubarb and radishes in early summer) take this classic dish to the next level.

Ingredients

1 stick of rhubarb, finely sliced (as thick as a 10-pence piece)

1 tsp soft brown sugar

A pinch of salt

Juice of 3 limes, 2 lemons and 1 orange

500g black bream or sea bass fillets

2 spring onions, finely chopped

1 tbsp coarsely chopped coriander and mint

1 stick of celery, finely sliced (as thick as a 10-pence piece)

2 radishes, thinly sliced

1 small dried chilli, very finely chopped

In a large bowl, mix the thinly sliced rhubarb with sugar and salt to draw out the tart juices. Then, squeeze in a good hit of juice from the lime, lemon and orange.

Cut the fish into small chunks, just small enough for the juices to penetrate. Gently fold the fish in, adding more citrus juice as needed, to coat the fish.

Fold in the finely chopped spring onions, coriander, mint and celery, along with thinly sliced radishes, which will bring heat, a nice bit of colour and some crunch.

Finish with the finely chopped dried chili and an extra squeeze of orange and give it a good stir.

Stir every 5 mins and in about 30 minutes all those ingredients will have married with the fish and you’ll be ready to eat your gorgeous ceviche.

More River Cottage fish recipes

ONLINE COURSEHands on Fish and ShellfishTaught by Gelf Alderson

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Tackling fresh fish takes confidence, knowledge and technique. It can seem a daunting task, but in this course Gelf will guide you through the skills you need. Once you’ve learned the techniques and practised it yourself you will finish the course feeling confident in your ability to cook fish and shellfish at home.

You will be introduced to varieties of fish seasonally available, updated on current sustainability guidelines and given advice on how to shop for the freshest fish. You will learn the basics of fish preparation including gutting, scaling and filleting three types of fish – flat, round and oily – with a particular focus on knife skills. And you will learn a variety of techniques including pan-frying, baking and stewing plus creating stocks and broths and a number of delicious recipes.

ONLINE COURSENext Level Fish & Shellfish SkillsTaught by Gelf Alderson

All Online Courses

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River Cottage's Executive Chef Gelf Alderson teaches you how to handle fish and shellfish in his Next Level Fish & Shellfish online course with Learning with Experts.

Learn how to master challenging seafood dishes, shellfish preparation and learn to source the most sustainable and fresh fish. Including recipes for ceviche, oysters cooked three different ways and a crab bisque.

Back to Episode 3