Gefilte Lettuce (Ceviche-Stuffed Butter Lettuce)
Let’s face it. If you grow up with jarred gefilte fish, you may eventually develop a taste for it. After all, there are a few Swedes who genuinely like lutefisk. But the idea here is to replace canned gefilte fish with something that actually doesn’t make small children and non-Jews run away, and that reflects California’s local bounty.
Ingredients
- 3 pound sustainable firm white fish (halibut, cod, red snapper, sea bass)
- 2 medium jalapenos, seeds and membranes removed, diced
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1 cup or more fresh squeezed lime juice (7 to 15 limes)
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1 large tomato, diced
- 1 head butter lettuce, rinsed and dried, the leaves separated
- 3 t olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Remove any skin, bones and dark spots from fish. Cut fish into ½ inch cubes.
- In a glass or plastic bowl, mix fish with jalapenos, cilantro, and lemon and lime juice to cover.
- Refrigerate, covered, for two hours, stirring mixture every 15-20 minutes. After 2 hours, check to see fish is opaque and tastes “cooked.” If so, drain. If not, let sit for a bit longer, then drain.
- Lay out large lettuce leaves on counter. Spoon 2 tablespoons or more into each leaf, roll as in stuffed cabbage. To serve, place individual rolls on plate, sprinkle with tomato, salt , pepper and olive oil.
