Scallop Ceviche Recipe

By
Ubish Yaren
Ubish Yaren
Ubish Yaren
Ubish Yaren born and raised in Mexico. He is a former sous chef specializing in Mexican food with a huge passion to show and share the importance of Mexican food for the world. Ubish does food tours in Mexico City and believes that the best taco is the one you are eating now.
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Updated on 12/17/21
Scallop Ceviche

The Spruce Eats / Ubish Yaren
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Marinating Time: 2 hrs 5 mins
Total: 2 hrs 35 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
392 Calories
12g Fat
41g Carbs
32g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 392
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 2g 11%
Cholesterol 39mg 13%
Sodium 1981mg 86%
Total Carbohydrate 41g 15%
Dietary Fiber 6g 20%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 32g
Vitamin C 39mg 196%
Calcium 115mg 9%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 1815mg 39%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

There are countless variations on ahogadito ceviche, or scallop ceviche. This basic preparation is Peruvian style. The marinade is called leche de tigre, or tiger's milk, and it's composed of fish stock, lime juice, aromatics, and chiles.

When you marinade the scallops in the leche de tigre, the citric acid in the lime juice denatures the protein in the scallops, which creates the same change in texture as heat cooking. This is the basic concept behind ceviche. The lime juice does not necessarily kill bacteria or parasites, so you still want to be sure to use the freshest fish. Ceviche is not recommended for immunocompromised people.

All of that said, for the best texture we recommend marinating the scallops no longer than five minutes before serving it. Once ceviche is finished marinating, it should be eaten right away, and not stored.

Ingredients

For Leche De Tigre:

  • 1 liter fish stock

  • 1/2 medium diced onion

  • 1 clove garlic, smashed and minced

  • 1/2 stalk celery, diced

  • 20 grams grated fresh ginger

For the Ceviche:

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, diced

  • 4 cups water

  • 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

  • 1 cucumber, peeled and diced

  • 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

  • 4 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice

  • 10 sea scallops

  • 2 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Steps to Make It

Make the Leche de Tigre

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a large, non-reactive bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Keep in the refrigerator for at least two hours to allow flavors to mingle before using.

Assemble the Ceviche

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Add chopped sweet potato and water to a medium pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until sweet potato is tender, about 10 minutes. Strain and allow to cool to room temperature.

  3. Add the lime juice, onion slices, chopped cucumber, cilantro and lime juice to the leche de tigre and stir to combine. Add the scallops and gently fold into the marinade so all of the pieces are coated. Cover with cling wrap and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for five minutes.

  4. After marinating, divide into two serving bowls or plates. Place half of the sweet potato pieces on top of each serving of ceviche. Finish by drizzling each with olive oil and sprinkling with salt.

Eating Ceviche

The acidic marinade may not kill all of the bacteria, so ceviche is not recommended for people who are pregnant or immunocompromised; in these cases, we recommend poaching the scallop, first. See directions below.


Tips

You can prepare Leche de Tigre itself a day or two ahead, but do not add the fish until the day you plan to eat it.

Recipe Variation

  • Poach the scallop for 1 to 2 minutes in salted, boiling water. Remove with a slotted spoon directly into an ice bath to stop the cooking; then move scallop into citrus marinade.
  • Instead of folding the sweet potato into the ceviche, you can serve it to the side.

Storing Ceviche

  • Once the ceviche has finished marinating, it should be eaten right away.
  • Do not store ceviche in the refrigerator or attempt to freeze for later.

Why should you use a non-reactive bowl for ceviche?

Ceviche should always be marinated in a non-reactive bowl such as glass or ceramic, and never in a reactive bowl, such as aluminum, iron, or copper. Since ceviche is acidic, if placed in a reactive bowl, the food can take on the metallic taste from the bowl and also change color.