tuna ceviche

1 lb sushi grade or very fresh Ahi tuna
1 small shallot, finely diced
1 green onion, finely sliced
¼ green bell pepper, finely diced
2 tbs chopped banana peppers
flesh from ¼ medium papaya, finely diced
10 green seedless grapes, thinly sliced
juice from 1 lb key limes (about ¼ cup)
2 tbs olive oil
3 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp sugar
fresh ground pepper to taste
Tabasco sauce to taste

Dice tuna into ¼-inch cubes. In a small bowl, toss tuna together with shallot, green onion, bell pepper, banana peppers, papaya and grapes. In a separate bowl, whisk together key lime juice, olive oil, kosher salt, sugar, pepper and Tabasco sauce. Pour over tuna mixture and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour. Serve in cocktail glasses.


Notes: Although the tuna in this recipe isn’t cooked with heat, it isn’t raw (although that’s rather nice, too). The proteins are “cooked” in this method by the acid in the key limes. True story.


Where to find it: You’ll want the freshest available tuna for this recipe. Even though I didn’t find the sushi grade I was hoping for, a still very fresh catch was available at Codfather’s on Gordon Drive in Kelowna.