Tilapia Ceviche with Rosé Sangria (for holiday cheer) Serves 4-5
This is typical Venezuelan bar food, made from fresh and healthy ingredients - a perfect respite from heavy holiday fare we typically consume from mid-November on through the holiday season. (Remember that the seasons are reversed in South America!)
Tilapia ceviche
Ingredients
- 1 lb of fresh, wild tilapia fillet, all skin and bones removed
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- ½ tablespoon garlic paste
- ½ tablespoon ginger chopped fresh
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- ¼ cup of thinly sliced cut red bell pepper
- ¼ cup of thinly sliced orange or yellow bell pepper
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion (cut into strips the same size as pepper slices)
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- Cut skinned and boned salmon into 1½ inch cubes.
- In a glass bowl large enough to fit the salmon and juices, mix the lime, lemon and orange juice, garlic paste, ginger, sugar and hot sauce.
- Add salmon and mix gently until the spices are evenly blended and the fish is completely covered by the juices. Add the peppers, onions and cilantro and mix gently.
- Cover and marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
- Serve chilled after 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Serving suggestion: accompany the Ceviche with a side of Toasted Corn Kernels (see recipe below).
Ingredients
- 1 cup corn kernels, fresh (preferably fresh, but you can use frozen if thawed)
- ¼ tablespoon of garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- salt to taste
- Heat a large saucepan or sauté pan to very hot. Add corn kernels and cook until golden, stirring often, about 10-15 minutes.
- Add butter, garlic paste and salt to taste; serve as a side with the ceviche.
Ingredients
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 1 lime, sliced
- 1 orange, sliced
- 1 green apple, ½ sliced, and the other half diced and set aside for garnish
- 4 oz simple syrup (1 part water, 1 part sugar. Mix together in a pot, bring to a boil, stir occasionaly and let cool)
- 2 oz lime juice
- 2 oz lemon juice
- 1 bottle of rosé Malbec wine
- 1 teaspoon of Cointreau liqueur
- 3-4 mint sprigs
- 16 oz of ice
- In a glass pitcher add the cut fruit (lemon, lime, orange and apples),
the simple syrup and juices. Stir and let marinate for 15 minutes.
- Add the bottle of rosé wine, Cointreau liquor and mint sprigs and stir.
- Add ice and serve in a tumbler glass.
- Garnish with remaining diced apples.
Owner/President
Born and raised in Venezuela, Adriana López Vermut studied anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania.
She worked in marketing for a remittances start-up and later as a research analyst for RedShift Ventures, a Virginia-based venture capital firm funding technology start-ups.
Pica Pica Maize Kitchen is the fruit of Adriana's desire to cross over to the entrepreneurial side, which also allows her to share her passion for native Venezuelan cuisine with the American public.
About Luis H. Sosa
General Manager/Partner
Luis H. Sosa brings 26 years of diverse foodservice operations experience in Venezuela to Pica Pica.
He previously owned a small group of empanadas and fruit juices quick service restaurants in Venezuela and also ran a number of different casual dining locations in Caracas.
Luis views Pica Pica as a family and life project. He moved to Napa from Caracas with his wife and two children.
They are all active participants of Pica Pica, which allows them all to stay closely connected to who they are as Venezuelans.
About Leopoldo López Gil
Partner
Leopoldo López is a noted restaurateur and businessman from Caracas, Venezuela.
He joins his daughter Adriana in making Pica Pica a family affair.
