From my parents who cooked a delicious meal every night, to my earliest job in a sandwich shop showcasing a bounty of freshly chopped vegetables, to being a fine dining server in which presentation was as important as taste, to my dear friends Erin and Andrew who constantly challenge themselves with new flavors and culinary experiences, and finally to my life here in Seattle with a pod of nutrition students to whom local and organic produce means the upmost vitality and health.
Last night I was invited to dinner at a friend's house for "Tacos and Mojitos". I got there about 7 p.m. and Sara was in the kitchen chopping garlic and tending to the chicken. As more folks trickled in we spread out the preparation jobs so that a couple of us were mashing the fresh mint into the sugar and lime juice for the mojitos and a couple of us were making corn tortillas and tending to the sauteed vegetables.
For 7 broke college students, we put out quite a feast! The spread was chicken and vegetables, chili sauce, guacamole, two kinds of salsa, scallop ceviche, sauteed greens, and homemade tortillas. At first when we dug into the food and filled our plates there was silence broken only by some mummers of pleasure with each bite.
The result: a very happy and full Anna who could no longer muster the energy to go dancing.
Simple Scallop Ceviche
2 cups bay scallops or diced large scallops
Juice of 6 + limes
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 avocado, diced
handful of cilantro, chopped fine
smoked paprika
salt & pepper
cumin
Place in bowl with enough lime juice to cover. Let sit in refrigerator for 4-5 hours or until no longer raw in the middle. Drain lime juice and add remaining ingredients to scallops. Season to taste.
that ceviche was reminiscent of days on the beach in Ecuador, and happily without the morning after toilet session. good job lady! ;)
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