PHOTO COURTESY OF CITARELLA
LOCAL HAMPTONITE, FISHMONGER AND OWNER OF CITARELLA (CITARELLA.COM) JOE GURRERA ALWAYS HAS HIS EYE ON WHAT IS FRESH. WITH LOCATIONS IN NEW YORK CITY, CONNECTICUT AND THE HAMPTONS, CITARELLA HAS MORPHED INTO AN EPICUREAN MARKET STAPLE SPOTLIGHTING RESTAURANT-QUALITY PREPARED FOODS, PRIME MEATS AND THE FRESHEST SEAFOOD. HERE, THE GOURMAND SHARES A PAGE FROM HIS BOOK, JOE KNOWS FISH: TAKING THE INTIMIDATION OUT OF COOKING SEAFOOD, ON HOW TO PREP THE PERFECT CEVICHE.
In ceviche, you let your limes do the “cooking.” Raw seafood gets a pop of flavor from citrus and jalapeno peppers here, and the citric acid of the lime juice “cooks” the fish, turning it from translucent to opaque, just like heat does. The fish also firms up some, as if it’s been cooked with heat. I cut the seafood into the same-size pieces so it marinates at the same rate, and it makes it look like a professional made it too!
½ lb. raw sea scallops, cut into ½-inch pieces
½ lb. raw large shrimp (16 to 20 per lb.), peeled, deveined and cut into ½-inch pieces
½ lb. skinless fluke or skinless striped bass fillet, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and pulp discarded, cut into ¼-inch dice (about ½ cup) 1 small yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped Sea salt to taste
½ cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
1 ½ cups freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 10 limes), plus more as needed
White rice, for serving (optional)
2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced for garnish
In a large bowl, combine the scallops, shrimp, fluke, tomatoes, onion and jalapenos, to taste, and toss to combine. Sprinkle with a few generous pinches of salt and the cilantro and toss again. Pour the lime juice over the mixture, making sure the mixture is completely covered by the liquid. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Use a slotted spoon to serve as is or over white rice. Garnish with avocado.
Enjoy Citarella’s seafood tower for two poolside at home for the ultimate luxury. PHOTO COURTESY OF CITARELLA
For the ultimate picnic spread or luxurious meal at home, Citarella offers the seafood tower for two with caviar ($299). Through his seafood wholesale company, Lockwood & Winant, Citarella owner Joe Gurrera supplies some of the best chefs and restaurants in the country, and that’s the same seafood you get when you order from him.
6 Wellfleet oysters (shucked with the shells on the side)
6 littleneck clams (shucked with the shells on the side)
½ lb. large cooked shrimp
1 steamed lobster
1 lb. king crab
1 lb. stone crab claws (based on market availability, king crab will be substituted if unavailable)
Cocktail sauce
Butter
Lemons
1 ¾ oz. American caviar
Creme fraiche
Blinis
Photography by: PHOTOS COURTESY OF CITARELLA
