Ceviche, a dish created 2,000 years ago by Peru’s indigenous Moche people, has become a tasty encapsulation of the Spanish, Cantonese, and Japanese flavors that have influenced native cuisine over the ensuing centuries. In Peru, June 28 is National Ceviche Day. You can celebrate stateside at Inca Social that day through July 2.
Inca Social executive chef Michael Ciuffardi got his startat renowned Lima establishments like La Mar Cebicheria and Astrid y Gastón. After 10 years, he came to NoVa and opened Bravo Peruvian Chicken before he joined Inca Social in 2019.
Traditionally, ceviche is made from white fish cured in leche de tigre, a citrus-pepper marinade that cures the fish and gives the dish its signature spiciness. Ciuffardi expands on the traditional, replacing white fish with tuna, mahi mahi or salmon to clearly delineate a distinct cultural influence in each of his dishes. He also uses citrus and spice variations in the leche de tigre to better enhance the fresh flavor of the fish and temper the spiciness of each dish.
Nikkei cuisine is the fusion food created by Japanese immigrants in Peru. In his Ceviche Nikkei, Ciuffardi uses fresh tuna marinated in lemon-based leche de tigre, soy sauce and tamarind, coriander and nori seaweed with aji limo pepper. It’s paired with avocado, onion, and cucumber, somewhat reminiscent of a deconstructed spicy tuna roll.
Fresh mahi mahi in the Chinese-inflected Ceviche Chifero is marinated in leche de tigre along with sesame oil, pickled turnip and carrot, lemon juice, and coriander. It reflects Cantonese flavors and is served with onion and peanuts.
Passion fruit-based leche de tigre with lemon juice, coriander, and aji limo is used to cure the salmon in the Ceviche Tropical. It’s served with mango and avocado as a reference to the Spanish influence on the native cuisine.
For the vegetarians, Ciuffardi prepares ceviche vegetariano using a vegetable leche de tigre to marinate onion, mushrooms and baby corn with baby carrot, coriander, lemon juice, and aji limo.
Tiradito de Conchas is the fifth dish completing the Ceviche Day menu. It’s a sashimi-style scallop dish in hot pepper cream and leche de tigre.
In Peru, no celebration is complete without beer. Inca Social has an impressive list including some of the best local beers like Aslin (Alexandria) and Old Bust Head (Vint Hill), along with a wide range of domestic ciders, IPAs, and malts. If you prefer to keep things as authentic as possible, try Cristal lager from Lima. Salud! 2670 Avenir Pl, Vienna
Feature image courtesy Inca Social
For more foodie news, subscribe to our twice-weekly Food newsletter.
