Gilligan’s Gourmet: Cooking up a World Cup smorgasbord

Each Latin American country has given ceviche its own touch of individuality by adding its own particular garnishes. In Peru, ceviche is served with slices of cold sweet potatoes or corn on the cob, while in neighboring Ecuador; it is accompanied by popcorn, potato chips, nuts, or the giant kernels of corn native to that country. Panamanian businesses serve ceviche with buttered saltine crackers or in dainty pastry shells. It is also served in a large crystal bowl with the guests helping themselves, either by spearing it with toothpicks or filling the pastry shells. In Mexico, ceviche is accompanied by slices of raw onions and served on toasted tortillas.

Here is a version of ceviche which Japanese housewives were making hundreds of years ago. They call it sashimi and serve it with horseradish or very strong mustard.

Sashimi

2 pounds fish fillets {salmon and corvina or tilapia}
2 cups lemon juice
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup thinly sliced onions
¼ cup teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced

Remove the skin from fillets and slice 1/8 inch thick. Mix the other ingredients and pour over the fillets which have been placed in a glass bowl or platter. Let it marinate overnight.

Shrimp Ceviche

2 pounds shrimp, cooked and cleaned
½ pound onions, chopped
½ bottle French’s mustard
1 ½ teaspoon salt
½ cup olive oil
½ cup lime juice
1 hot pepper, chopped

Cut shrimp into pieces. Add remaining ingredients and marinate for about 8 hours.

Scallop Ceviche

1 ½ pounds scallops (Bay scallops preferred)
1 hot pepper
1 tablespoon vinegar
¼ teaspoon oregano
½ cup lime juice (or more if needed)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, mashed
2 teaspoons mustard pickle
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons catsup
salt and pepper to taste

Clean scallops and put in a colander. Pour boiling water over them and let drain. Mix the onion and hot pepper (chopped very fine), garlic, mustard pickle, oregano, and vinegar. Put scallops into this mixture and let marinate for 30 minutes. Then add salt, pepper, olive oil, catsup, and lime juice. The lime juice should cover the mixture. Place in a glass container, cover and let stand in refrigerator 24 hours before eating. (Stir with a wooden spoon from time to time. Some metal spoons will tarnish from the acids.)

AND FINALLY… In honor of England's display against Algeria, the English are unveiling a new national flag. It's the same design as before but without the Red Cross.

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