*Yes, this is a summer receipt right here in winter time, but here in the South- we pulled it off in the last of the “shortsleeve days”.

I’m a Southern Soulfood guy. We do Lowcountry, farm and field to table, Creole, meat and potatoes, BBQ- that sort of stuff. But we fish. When we have fresh fish, the world stops- we don’t freeze it unless there is too much of it. When it is the most fresh, I want to cook it to reflect its brightness. I had some grouper that was so good that it tasted like butter when it was lightly sautéed in olive oil.

A month ago we went to Miami. I couldn’t eat enough Ceviche. I order it in the places that seem to have the accreditation to serve it. So the taste was on my tongue and mind. It only made sense to put this grouper into a Ceviche recipe. Ceviche is a not exactly a dish that jumps right to mind when I go into the kitchen either. Ceviche seems to have that Latin Caribbean vibe. I’m not a big Tequila guy. Margaritas kind of give me a wicked two-day heartburn. But they taste good and sometimes they make you feel good too. So I don’t really associate Ceviche with Mexico so much as Cuba. A good Rum drink not Tequila, but t I had that rare, once a year hankering for a Margarita and figured the two might go together.

Blood Orange Tequila Grouper Ceviche

A hand full of cubed Fresh Grouper

Fresh Cilantro

Fresh Lime Juice

Blood Orange

Minced Habanero Peppers- seeds removed

Diced Fresh Tomato

Diced Vidalia Onion

Olive Oil

Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper

First, I used a zesting plane to make about a teaspoon of lime and blood orange zest. Then I squeezed the juice from four fresh limes and half of the blood orange into a cup.

I placed the cubed grouper into a medium mixing bowl and poured the citrus juice over it and tossed it. I chopped a reasonable portion of cilantro and pepper flesh and tossed it in the fish. Once the fish had become opaque by cooking in the acidity of the citrus juice, I added portions of the citrus zest, small diced flecks of onion, tomato, and the blood orange. I added a small portion of olive oil and carefully mixed it and seasoned to taste with salt and pepper.

I served the ceviche (used small slotted spoon to drain excessive juices) on toasted points of flour tortillas.

The Blood Orange Margarita

In a cocktail shaker pour: 2 ounces of good quality gold tequila, one once fresh lime juice, one ounce blood orange juice, one ounce 50:50 simple syrup. Add a dash of orange bitters. Shake for ten- twelve seconds and strain into a salted coup glass. (We really use Himalayan Pink Salt on everything!) Float a thin slice of blood orange.