Ceviche by Martin Morales

The angle: Fresh, healthy recipes bursting with flavor from London’s Ceviche restaurant. (Hint: Ceviche is just the beginning)

Recipes for right now: Sea Bass Ceviche, Quinoa and Ceviche Rolls, Octopus in Olive Sauce, Grilled Fish Parcels, Lamb Braised in Beer with Cilantro, Chicken and Crispy Potato Stir-Fry, Fava Bean Soup, Cinnamon Pisco Syrup Cake

Who would enjoy this book? Anyone curious about Peruvian cuisine, seafood lovers looking for something new

• Who wrote it: Martin Morales

• Who published it: Ten Speed Press

• Number of recipes: Around 100

• Other highlights: I’ll never forget my first taste of ceviche. I couldn’t tell you what kind of fish it was, but I have a clear taste-memory of it on my tongue. The white flesh was simultaneously soft and slightly chewy, briny and cool, tart with limes and hot with chili flakes. I was an instant convert to this strange technique of “cooking” fish and seafood in citrus juice.

As much as I love it, I’ve never actually tried making ceviche at home. With temperatures already spiking up into the 90’s here in my part of California, I’m thinking that it’s time I change that. This cookbook Ceviche by Martin Morales feels like an excellent place to start.

I’m always a little wary of “restaurant” cookbooks, but this one feels approachable and doable in a way that many don’t. Maybe this is thanks to the fact that Morales isn’t actually a professionally trained chef, and despite winning many accolades for his restaurants, still considers himself a home chef at heart. Indeed, these dishes feel like the kind of simple fare you’d make for a dinner party with friends — dishes that are both relatively easy to make, but also look beautiful on the plate.

You’ll see some ingredients again and again throughout this book: seafood (of course!), but also lamb, sweet potatoes, chiles, fresh cheese, potatoes, and quinoa. These are some of the ingredients central to Peruvian cuisine, and they get used in all sorts of delightful ways throughout the book. Besides ceviche, Morales also includes sections on Peruvian street food, meat-centric and vegetarian dishes, salads, desserts, and drinks.

Find the book at your local library, independent bookstore, or Amazon: Ceviche by Martin Morales

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