Ceviche is a great food for summer. It requires very little if any cooking, and it's full of bright flavors and fresh colors. We ate some shrimp ceviche in a restaurant a couple of years ago that had popcorn sprinkled over the top, which is apparently common in Peru and Ecuador. So festive! So much more fun than tortilla chips!
You rarely see popcorn outside of a large bowl, usually set next to a remote control and a box of Goobers. But it adds a great texture to ceviche, which can, depending on the type, be a little slick and slimy. It's also a nice, salty flavor amidst the citrus juices.
It's also just a surprising little garnish. Seeing it atop a glass of ceviche made us think how nice it would be over a bowl of gazpacho or even ice cream (think of how good a salty bite of pretzels or peanuts taste with chocolate).
Some ceviche recipes to try:
• Scallop Ceviche with Tigers Milk, from Gourmet (above)
• Oyster Ceviche in the Shell with Popcorn, from Food Network
• Shrimp Ceviche with Chili Popcorn, from the New York Daily News
• Red Snapper Ceviche, Citrus Juices, Avocado, and Popcorn, from Bravo
Related: Eating Light: Homemade Popcorn with Olive Oil
(Images: Marcus Nilsson for Gourmet; Flickr member kozumel, licensed for use under Creative Commons)
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
The 'popcorn' served with ceviche in Peru isn't the 'exploded' type that we usually eat in the US. It's large kernel and is cooked in oil over medium high heat until it's dry, light and crispy. Do a search for 'peruvian cancha' and you'll find pictures of it - it's more like corn-nuts.
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In the Ecuadorian sierra, at least in the province of Azuay, popped popcorn frequently accompanies soup, and man oh man are there a variety of soups to be had. This is one of my favorite food memories from living there:
http://laylita.com/recipes/2008/01/08/locro-de-papa-creamy-potato-soup-with-cheese/
Aji is not optional.
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