RECIPE: Make Casi Cielo’s Aguachile de Pescado
I’m an avid home cook, and I love to try and recreate the wonderful dishes I’ve had at local restaurants. There’s something inexplicable about the aguachile de pescado at Casi Cielo, something that makes a dish both simple and yet deep with flavor. This dish is a testament to the idea that if you start with some good, fresh fish, some salt, and an acid, you can unlock something wonderful! I’d love to see how they do it. — Garrett Leffelman, Alpharetta
Aguachile de pescado is a simple, lightly spicy preparation of raw fish similar to ceviche, but not marinated as long as ceviche might be. It’s a dish intended to be prepared and eaten right away.
Ponzu is a Japanese dipping sauce made from a combination of ingredients, including soy and citrus juice. You should be able to find it in a grocery store with a well-stocked selection of international foods. For the bonito flakes, you will need to visit an Asian grocery store or a natural foods shop.
In our photo you’ll see the dish garnished not only with slices of red onion, jalapeno peppers, and chili powder, but also with microgreens and edible flower petals like the ones you can purchase at Whole Foods.
- 1/4 pound halibut, bones and skin removed, cut into 7 long, thin slices
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons ponzu
- 1/2 teaspoon mirin
- 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- Pinch bonito flakes
- 1 tablespoon salsa aguacatada (see recipe)
- Thinly sliced red onion, 7 thin slices jalapeno and red chili powder, for garnish
- Edible flower petals and microgreens, for garnish (optional)
- In a medium bowl, combine the fish with lime juice and salt. Toss to thoroughly cover with seasoning.
- In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, ponzu, mirin, sesame oil and bonito flakes. Pour over fish and toss again to coat each slice.
- Spread salsa aguacatada over a serving plate. Top with red onion. Remove fish from bowl and roll each slice into a cylinder. Arrange on salsa. Top each roll with a slice of jalapeno, then dust dish with chili powder and garnish with green onions. Add edible flower petals and microgreens, if desired. Serves 1.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 237 calories (percent of calories from fat, 57), 22 grams protein, 3 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 15 grams total fat (2 grams saturated), 56 milligrams cholesterol, 1,686 milligrams sodium.Salsa Aguacatada
You will only use a small amount of this salsa aguacatada with each serving of aguachile de pescado. Any leftover salsa will keep, refrigerated, for a week and would be delicious on tostadas or taquitos.
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 5 jalapenos, seeds and membranes removed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine oil and jalapenos and warm until oil reaches 158 degrees and the jalapenos soften and turn olive green. Remove from heat and allow oil and jalapenos to cool.
- In the jar of a blender, combine the cooled jalapenos and their cooking oil and blend to a smooth puree. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 2/3 cup.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per tablespoon: 110 calories (percent of calories from fat, 98), trace protein, trace carbohydrates, trace fiber, 12 grams total fat (2 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 12 milligrams sodium.From the menu of ... Casi Cielo, 6125 Roswell Road, Atlanta; 404-549-9411, casicieloatl.com.
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