Leo Gong
Recipe and photo courtesy of California Avocado Commission
Makes 12 serving (2 tostadas per serving)
4 lbs. cod filet, ½” dice
2 tomatoes, halved, seeded, cut into thin strips
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 bunches cilantro (4 cups), roughly chopped
2 t. dried oregano
1 t. ground black pepper
Salt to taste
4 Fresh California Avocados*, peeled, seeded, mashed
Lime juice, as needed
24 crispy 6-inch corn tostados
2 hearts of romaine (4 c.), cut into shreds
Leche de Tigre (recipe follows)
Pickled jalapeño peppers, optional, for garnish
The Leche de Tigre:
Makes 4 cups
2 c. lime juice
2 habanero peppers, charred
2 garlic cloves
½ c. cilantro stems
1 c. red onion, roughly chopped
½ c. salt
2 T. sugar
To make the Leche de Tigre
Puree the lime juice, charred habanero, garlic, cilantro stems, salt, sugar and 8 ice cubes in a blender until smooth. Add onion and pulse 3 to 4 more times. Set a fine mesh sieve over a medium bowl and strain the liquid through the sieve. Discard solids.
To make the tostadas:
Fill a large pot fitted with a steamer basket with water to a depth of 1 inch and bring to a boil. Set up a bowl with ice cubes and lime juice—just enough to cool down the fish quickly to stop the cooking. Turn off the heat on the boiling water and drop the diced fish into the steamer basket. Stir fish gently until the edges are opaque and still virtually raw in the center. Strain the fish quickly and add to the ice/lime juice mixture, stirring gently until fish is cold. Strain the fish, discarding the ice and liquid.
Pour the Leche de Tigre over the fish. Cover and marinate for 10 minutes. Add the tomato, red onion, cilantro, oregano and black pepper to the fish. Season with salt as needed. Season the mashed avocado with lime juice and salt to taste. Spread about 3 tablespoons of mashed avocado on each tostado. Top each with ⅓ cup of the ceviche, then 2 tablespoons of shredded romaine lettuce.
*Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados, adjust the quantity accordingly.